Idolatry
by hidashi-love
Summary: Tadashi is mine. yandere!Hiro (Hidashi incest warning. If this triggers or offends you, please do not read.)
1. Secrets

**_*screams for centuries* Uwah~ I've finally gotten around to finishing up all the planning for this AU. I'll admit, it took a while to get the plot detailed, but I'm pretty satisfied. I've been reviewing and reviewing and trying to make sure that it's a story that - hopefully - captures the Hamada brothers' relationship while introducing the yandere element to Hiro's personality. I think I managed to pull it off. However, I did not expect this fic to end up being multiple chapters (I'm writing chapter 2 right now XD). I really hope you enjoy the first chappie! My yandere!Hiro fic begins! Please R&R!_**

**I. Secrets**

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><p>i·dol·a·try<p>

_noun_

worship of idols.

**extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone**.

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><p>The love between Tadashi and Hiro had always been innocent; a shared intimacy that intertwined them. It weathered the stormy days (agonizing screams of worry clashing with hot yells of defiance) and basked in the golden light of others (gentle reconciliation where they would curl against each other, the ghosts of countless apologies upon their lips).<p>

Strengthened by every single moment.

Every tickle fight. Every real fight. Every late night. Every fun project. Their personal paradise.

When had that paradise been shattered? When had that innocence degenerated into something so sinful? Could this person - who pinned him to his own bed with Microbots (the very embodiment of Tadashi's influence on his baby brother), who kissed and licked and nipped at his lips and neck and ears - be his Hiro?

Why was this the outcome of their relationship?

* * *

><p>It wasn't that the thought hadn't flickered across his mind before, joining Tadashi at his <em><strong>Nerd School<strong>_. As long as it meant being able to work side-by-side with his big brother. That was his goal. It was just that, he had his pride too. He was not going to sit for two to three hours in some boring class to hear some boring professor drone on and on about concepts that he was already familiar with.

He solved complicated equations and algorithms that his parents could not even solve while in elementary school; he built Mochi _**hover-cat boots**_; he collaborated on so many awesome projects with Tadashi (like the super cool hover-cart) that inventing had become second-nature. All before he graduated high school at age thirteen.

Not to boast, but he was a pretty successful hustler too. (If the situation ever got out of control, Tadashi would be there at the right moment to save his backside; the perks of having mini GPS trackers sewn into every one of his hoodies.)

Still, even the highs of winning could not compare to the excitement of creating alongside Tadashi. Different perspectives that yielded ideas carefully crafted into something complex, something tangible, something that no universe had the pleasure of witnessing before, something with the Hamada brothers insignia imprinted within its design.

If only he could convince him that Hiro was all he needed. That they could mold the world into their vision once they stuck together. Not because of SFIT and a school of losers who thought they were too brilliant and too special, but because Hiro could teach him everything and more; because Tadashi was the only one worth every second of his time.

When he said he would take him bot fighting that night, Hiro could not be happier. Finally, all his efforts were paying off. Perhaps he could get Tadashi to leave his _**Nerd School **_and join him instead. Pull off a heist that none of those underground nobodies could ever dream of.

Of course, Tadashi had other plans.

"What are we doing at your Nerd School?"

"Relax, you big baby. I've just gotta grab something."

Hiro had entertained joining Tadashi at his _**Nerd School **_before, but never more seriously than he had today.

Access to advanced technology? Check. Nerds that he had wrongly labeled as snobbish as opposed to being truly intelligent? Check. Closeness to Tadashi at all times because his brother offered to share his personal space and projects with him? **Check**. Add getting to meet the world-renowned scientist and robotics genius, Robert Callaghan, to the mix and walla! One super amped Hiro is the result.

Incredible ideas aren't born simply from playing _**Eye of the Tiger **_in the background, though. Not for Hiro. No, being on Tadashi's shoulders was what got his blood pumping and his mind racing. When they worked as one, perfectly synchronized.

(_"Pass me the -" _

"_-wrench."_

"_On your - " _

" _- left. Got it." _

"_Do it this way, it's -" _

"_- easier."_)

Dangling from his brother's shoulders triggered him like clockwork. Why not invent something that personified Tadashi's words? "Look for a new angle." Something groundbreaking. Something with infinite possibilities.

"They're called, Microbots."

* * *

><p>"Someone has to help."<p>

"**NO**!" Hiro had never clung so desperately to Tadashi before. He just felt that if he let Tadashi rush into that blazing hellfire, he would never see him again. Never again feel those strong (if slightly callous) hands pin him to the floorboards when they wrestled; never again hear his soft chuckles whenever Hiro was frustrated with a project; never again see that smile born of blinding light (even when there was a piece of lettuce stuck between his teeth).

A world without Tadashi was one he wanted no part of.

"Hiro! Please! I might be able to save him!"

"No! You can't go in there! You just **can't**!" In a battle of strength, Hiro could never win, but he would be damned if he didn't give it his best shot. Clawing and screaming, "If you go, I'm going too!" Feral and unrelenting because he could feel the flames licking at his skin, itching to burn it off, to consume both him and his brother; he could taste the thick smoke threatening to suffocate them.

And, in that moment, he knew if he couldn't get Tadashi away from there, they would both die.

Just as he lost his grip, a final plea of desperation upon his lips, they were catapulted backwards. He felt Tadashi curl around him upon impact, checking his vitals, whimpering for his baby brother to open his eyes.

All too soon, the gentle warmth was gone, frozen over by the piercing blares of sirens all around and his brother's heartbreaking wails.

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><p>Seeing Tadashi in mourning was as painful as ripping himself in half. Blaming himself for occurrences beyond his limited control. They were inseparable during this time; Hiro clinging to Tadashi like a lifeline, and Tadashi leaving not even their own room without Hiro in tow. There were the rare times when he would quietly request for Hiro not to touch him, but he would never snap when Hiro blatantly disregarded it. Nor when Hiro began sleeping in his bed after he had a particularly violent nightmare about the fire.<p>

(_"Hiro! Hiro!" _

"_Tadashi! I'm right here!" _

"_Please... Oh, please stay with me."_)

Tadashi didn't attend the classes he was enrolled in for the new semester. Not until the second week, anyway, after much encouragement (pestering) from Hiro. But it was understandable. The loss of such a revered man had shaken him deeply, had shaken many of them deeply.

So tragic, the accident that dissolved the professor into nothing but ash.

Oh, child, it must hurt to lose such an invaluable invention. _No. No, it didn't. Because he had his Tadashi_.

Once Tadashi did go back to school, Hiro wished he had kept a tighter hold.

He became akin to a living phantom. Their paths would never cross during daylight. When night fell, Hiro would wait for his return, anxious at first, but eventually assured that no harm would befall his older brother. He would feign sleep in his own bed, waiting until he heard Tadashi's muted steps across the cold, oak floorboards before he collapsed into his mattress before he himself even thought of actually sleeping. Even when he tried sleeping in Tadashi's bed (encompassed and soothed by his faint scent), he would hear Tadashi give a quiet sigh before retiring on Hiro's side.

The obvious avoidance left him upset, and the brief hellos and goodbyes did nothing more than acknowledge the gaping rift between them. Hiro wanted his Tadashi back. The one who cherished him more than anything in the galaxy. His inspiration. His best friend. His brother.

So, one night, he did the one thing he knew Tadashi could not stand; he went back to the arena.

It must have been his lucky night because big, fat Yama was nowhere to be found. The opponents he did face were incompetent fools (nothing compared to Honey's insane ingenuity, or Wasabi's precise calculations, or Gogo's unstoppable nature, or even Fred's compelling passion). Garbage that slithered forth from the sewers with nothing but thoughts of malice and avarice. Taking that from them gave Hiro no greater satisfaction. (Plus, hey, easy money.)

He escaped with his earnings and barely a nick from the sore losers, but no Tadashi. He should have been tracking him, of that Hiro was sure. He had worn this hoodie specifically for Tadashi to come get him. So why? Why hadn't he come to his rescue? Come to take him home on his Vespa and reprimand him, remind that he was far too intelligent to waste away in those slums.

But there was no older brother waiting. Nothing but a lonely run home to an empty room and a tracking device still hidden within the drawers.

It was still early! Not yet 2 'o clock! Tadashi was probably catching up on all the work he missed.

_**The lies some people tell themselves**_.

He needed to make some upgrades to his Megabot anyway. Not that it would serve any purpose against those mediocre fighters. It would be fun, though. Challenging himself to see what he could improve. (Maybe give it super speed and have it race against Gogo!) Or better yet, make a whole army of Megabots!

_**Make the pain go away**_.

"Hey! This is Tadashi Hamada. I can't come to the phone right now, so leave your -" Tadashi never turned his phone off.

_**Tadashi, please**_...

It was around 5 in the morning when Hiro found himself sunk to the floor, gasping and curling into himself. Cold hands seized his lungs and squeezed the breath right out of his body. Ravenous appendages clawed at him, tore at his throat, left him writhing and burning for air. He couldn't breathe. _He couldn't breathe_.

_**Where are you**_?

Had something happened at SFIT? No. No, no, no. He could hear it, hear those dreadful blares, feel his body aflame with a searing heat, tearing from his a hoarse cry of agony.

"Hello, I am Baymax, your personal, healthcare companion." When had Tadashi brought him home? "My scanners indicate that your adrenaline levels are elevated while the level of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream have significantly decreased. Diagnosis: panic attack."

The scorching heat dissipated beneath the cool, vinyl touch, and the demons tearing at his innards fled. "Recommended care: diaphragmatic breathing. Relax. Inhale deeply through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. Inhale. Exhale."

_**Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale**_.

With each breath, the sirens ringing in his ears died away, and those intense bursts of fear dissolved into nothingness.

"Thanks, Baymax."

"Bed rest is recommended after such a stressful experience."

"I'll keep that in mind. I am satisfied with my care." He watched the robot return to his charging station before he made haste for the doorway, but still careful not to wake Aunt Cass. (She had already done so much for him, for them both, she didn't deserve anymore worries on her shoulders.)

He just had to be at the university; he couldn't be anywhere else.

Even though his lungs burned, even though his calves ached, Hiro kept running. Tore through the deserted streets and alleyways, chased after the few trolleys that were operating at this early hour until he managed to hop aboard one, used every shortcut he had learned (every backyard he'd cut through, every chain-link fence he'd scale) because sometimes he would oversleep and Tadashi had developed the tendency to '_forget_' to wake him up.

Not once did he stop until – finally – he burst into their shared lab and collapsed unto the cold tiles beneath him. For once, Tadashi was there. He was working diligently at his station until Hiro's abrupt arrival startled him.

"H-Hiro? What are you doing here so early?"

"You didn't come home," he huffed, too exhausted to move from his place on the floor. He felt sticky and disgusting and in desperate need of his brother's embrace. "I thought something had happened to you." An awkward pause. Then, a broken whisper of, "How could you do this to me?"

He wanted to be held.

"Hiro -"

"Don't **touch** me!"

He wanted Tadashi to say something.

"Please, calm -"

"Shut up!"

To tell him why...

"Do you have any idea how scared I was? Do you know how I felt? I felt like you'd... Like you'd died! You're never around! You don't want me around anymore? Is that it? Should I just go back to bot fighting? Maybe you'll get lucky and fat ole Yama will -"

**Slap**!

It didn't hurt, but it did shock him out of his ludicrous rambling. Enough to acknowledge the absolute fright that shone from within Tadashi's brown eyes.

"Never. You never talk like that again, you hear me?" He pulled his younger brother against him, and Hiro felt every shudder, heard every shaky breath, and simply drank it all in. All that he was denied, all that he craved, all that he needed to survive.

He laced his fingers through his brother's short hair and buried his face in the crook of his neck. It was a sentimental pleasure in which he rarely seized the opportunity to indulge.

"Why would you think I don't want you around? Hiro, having you with me, I've never been happier."

"It doesn't seem like it," he murmured against Tadashi's neck. The older one then gently tugged at his hoodie. A tacit call. _Look at me, Hiro_. The little one obliged.

"I am so sorry. I hadn't even realized. I've been so busy... Hey! You know what, I've been thinking of some upgrades for Baymax. Like his time response to emergency situations."

"So you have been listening."

"Of course! Though, he'd like kind of scary running."

"Are you kidding? He'd look hilarious! Oh! You know what you could do? Give him a sleeker design, with armor! Then he could kick some serious butt if his patient's gonna get hurt!"

"I'm not turning Baymax into a battle bot," Tadashi chuckled, ruffling the younger one's hair and making him pout.

"It's still a good idea."

It still gnawed at him, though; that nauseating feeling, like a lion tearing into his prey. That Tadashi was purposely distancing himself from Hiro. A stupid thought that should have immediately been dismissed in light of his brother's words, yet it overwhelmed him, nagged him to the point where he prevented Tadashi from standing.

"What's wrong? You tired?" The consternation on the little one's face concerned him. "Hey, what's -" The soft yet timid press of lips against his own silenced him. Butterfly kisses peppered his lips to his chin before ending with a single press against his neck where Hiro remained. Surprised, he surely was, but it soon morphed into a fondness as he nuzzled young Hiro's hair and kissed his forehead.

"I thought you were too old for smooches," he teased, ruffling his hair once more. No reply. "Hiro?" He moved him gently, and gave a light laugh at what he found. "All tuckered out, huh?"

* * *

><p>Suspicion was truly dangerous. It could lead a person to do crazy things. Like planting a mini GPS device of his own in Tadashi's hat, and bugging the lab where his brother worked so he could keep tabs on everything that went on in there. It wasn't that he didn't trust Tadashi, but he knew the older brother had a bad habit of keeping secrets where (he believed) it benefited Hiro. Never anything devious (like the trackers), but secrets nonetheless.<p>

Like the fact that he had been tinkering with the surviving Microbot. Baymax hovered over his shoulder, watching Tadashi work, then shuffled back a bit to give Tadashi room to work on him.

"OK. That should do it. How's it working, buddy?"

"My trackers are fully functional, but how will being able to track Hiro's tiny robot make me a better healthcare companion?"

'_What?_'

"Trust me. It will."

Tadashi couldn't be serious. The only reason that the Microbot was acting up was surely because it was just malfunctioning. Damaged irreparably by the destruction of its brethren and the neurotransmitter. It was something that could have and should have been overlooked as a mere fluke.

Yet Tadashi was treating it as something to be tested. Never assume, always be certain. A rule crucial to making any project successful. But why put in the effort for something so trivial?

"Alright, little guy, lead us home." He released the Microbot, watching it fly a ways before grabbing Baymax and trailing after it.

It seemed like he would learn his reasons shortly.

He grabbed his backpack, yelling to Cass that he was going to meet Tadashi.

"Just be back in time for dinner! I'm making my famous hot wings! They'll burn your mouths off!"

"Will do!"

He kept his eyes locked on his wristwatch (wasn't too hard to synchronize it to the chip on Tadashi's hat), tracking his brother's every move.

Not a star in the sky. Even the bright streetlights faded the further he jogged, until he was left in utter darkness, with only the eerie green glow of his watch for guidance. Racing, tracking each swerve and curve that blinking dot made until he finally stumbled across Tadashi.

He had led him to an abandoned warehouse. Its rusted doors chained up tight. Its ancient walls overrun with vines wherever Tadashi shined his flashlight. Busted windows like jagged teeth ready to snatch them up into its deadly confines.

Quickly, he concealed himself, watching as Tadashi rattled the chains of the locked door, and hearing his mutters of frustration when he couldn't unlock it. Baymax – his form slowly inflating once more (probably had to lose some size to fit on Tadashi's Vespa) – motioned to the window just above an old dumpster.

Hiro waited in bated breath as Tadashi ascended Baymax's shoulders and hoisted himself through the open window. Then Baymax followed suit. He chanced closer, only to stop and raise an eyebrow when Baymax excused himself and "let out some air".

"Nice one, Tadashi," he chuckled. Then he looked around. There had to be another way inside. To find out what exactly Tadashi was hoping to discover by following that Microbot. To see what was able to elicit a response from something that should have ceased to function.

An idea struck him.

Hiro sent his Megabot forth, bidding it to disassemble and create makeshift holds for him to climb. He followed Tadashi's steps, and eased his way in through the window. He stood and dusted himself off before walking right into his brother's chest.

"Ta-Tadashi!"

"Just what on Earth are you doing here, Hiro?"

"Wait. You knew I was here?"

"You need to go. I'll catch up." He began ushering Hiro towards the window, but the boy remained steadfast.

"What were you doing with my Microbot?" Even in the dark, he could see his brother's stunned features.

"How did you know about that?"

"Come on! You really thought I wouldn't find out." Hiro glanced around. Its interior was large and smelled of mildew and cold rust, yet alive with the noise of machinery that was clearly out-of-place. Hiro slipped out of his brother's grasp, ignoring his demands. Each step he took atop the rickety landing creaked. He used the dim illumination from his watch as a precautionary measure until Tadashi was gracious enough to use his flashlight.

"Stay close to me," he whispered, clutching at Hiro's sleeve.

They came across a crooked ladder. Tadashi gave it a light kick. It didn't seem dangerous. That didn't stop him from seizing Hiro's hood and yanking him away from it. "Are you crazy?"

Hiro had to roll his eyes. "How could I forget? Ladies first."

"Knucklehead." Hiro ducked to avoid a smack to his head from Tadashi.

"Please exercise caution when wandering around in the dark." They jumped at the sound of Baymax's voice, but heeded his warning.

"We will, bud. Just stay here for now."

Once they were safely on ground level, Tadashi made sure to keep Hiro tucked behind him. The boy chose not to complain, clutching to his brother's cardigan and shying away from the void of shadows swirling around them. The tricks they played on the younger brother's eyes, drawing from him an occasional gasp as he swore he saw _something_ move.

If there was something here with them (stalking them), he'd be damned if he let it touch Tadashi.

Then they saw it. Hidden in plain sight, enormous equipment that mass-produced Hiro's Microbots. The younger one dipped into one of the many barrels, inspecting them, not fully understanding what was going on. Had someone gotten a hold of his designs? No. That couldn't be it. Even if that was the case, the person would be too stupid to piece together the complexity of his creation.

No. Whoever was able to effectively duplicate the Microbots would have had to have analyzed a functioning piece. All – save for the one that was in Hiro's possession – were destroyed in the fire months ago, though. Unless -!

"I knew it," he heard Tadashi quietly murmur. Hiro growled.

That fire was no accident.

_**Professor Callaghan was murdered**_.

A soft shuffling of feet came from the darkness behind them, and it snapped Hiro into action. He pushed Tadashi behind him, shielding him even with his small stature, but halted before he barked orders for Megabot to destroy when he saw the plush, marshmallow robot waddle up to them.

"Baymax," he hissed, "you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"It is a good thing that Tadashi equipped me with defibrillators then. Clear." Both brothers immediately stopped the bot, and Hiro explained that it was merely an expression. Then he was whacked on the head.

"Hey!"

"That was for pushing me."

"I was protecting you! What if it wasn't Baymax?"

"Exactly! You could have gotten hurt."

Upon seeing those dark eyes dilate, Tadashi slowly turned around, watching in awe as the Microbots weaved into a wall of pitch black, silently and seamlessly blending into the shadows.

"Run." He and Hiro took off, but the little one rushed back for Baymax, yanking him forward.

"Why couldn't you make him faster?"

"I had planned on it, but -"

"- got preoccupied with my Microbot?" They squeezed him through a narrow passageway.

"Let it go, Hiro! Besides, we were working on that together!"

Tadashi slid to a halt and shoved aside a crate before following Hiro and Baymax into the underground shaft.

"And you couldn't take a little time to implement it?" Hiro screamed as the bots burst through, obstructing their pathway and forcing them to quickly alter routes. The younger Hamada raced for the door, yanking at it as if it would magically unlock. "Punch it, Baymax!"

"He's not made for that, Hiro!" Tadashi might not have been able to see those little devils, but he could surely hear them. He shined his light on Hiro and he nearly dropped it, for hovering menacingly above little Hiro was a hand constructed from those lethal creatures. The little one followed the trail of light, arms flopping to his sides as he watched the hissing metal descend in frozen horror.

Racing forth, Tadashi knocked him out of the way just in time for the makeshift hand to grab his leg instead. Its mighty grip tightened, slowly crushing the trapped appendage. The elder brother bayed in agony.

_**Snap!**_

He slammed his fists against them. Dent it! Destroy it! Anything! Just protect Hiro!

_**So, they thought they could hurt his Tadashi and get away with it**_?

Bitter yells of, "Run away, Hiro!" quickly morphed into wordless whimpers and groans.

_**That simply wouldn't do**_.

The boy knelt down and opened his backpack. From its contents, he pulled out a simple, silver headband. Testing prototypes was so tedious, but – hey – there was no time like the present.

A quiet order of, "M-bots. Destroy," was all Tadashi heard before the painful constriction surrounding his leg was gone.

There were dozens of them scurrying around. Robots half the size of the original Megabot that worked in tandem with one another, combating the onslaught of Microbots for the sake of defending their creator. Either they tore apart the monsters they faced, or were torn apart themselves, and – even then – the dismantled pieces joined the frenzy.

"Baymax, scan!" Hiro ordered as he pulled the health bot towards his brother. Luckily, Tadashi was unharmed from that assault. Only some minor bruises and soreness. "Great! Let's go, Tadashi!"

The M-bots bought them enough time to get back up the ladder. He let Hiro slip out first before readying to push Baymax out.

It was by chance that he saw the yellow eyes of the demon's mask leer at him through the darkness. Waves of Microbots rose and curved behind him, undeterred by the counterattack, and ready to pierce through both himself and Baymax.

Tadashi never ran so fast in his life, hitting Baymax with such force that it sent them flying through the window. There was a brief sensation of free fall followed by the vague realization that hitting the ground from this height was not going to end well. Then he was enveloped in Baymax's strong embrace as the nurse bot took the brunt of the impact.

Hiro called his brother, shaking him from his stupor before directing both him and Baymax toward his Vespa.

"Baymax! I am satisfied with my care!"

"Megabot, come on!" There was no need to get the others; there was nothing left to retrieve. The original returned to its master's side just as the bots burst through.

"Hiro, get on!" Tadashi slipped Baymax's now compact design unto the base of his Vespa, and wasted no time speeding off once he felt Hiro's slim arms wrap around his waist.

* * *

><p>Tadashi was so transparent. He may as well have been screaming his thoughts at the top of his lungs.<p>

_'That man killed Professor Callaghan! He stole Hiro's bots! He attacked us! He tried to hurt Hiro!_'

But he didn't. Just kept it bottled up inside. So typical of his brother. Always trying to be strong, trying to silently shoulder the burden that this pain left in his heart, trying not to worry his baby brother, who he didn't know was already ten steps ahead of him. Thinking, planning.

The police would be of no use in this case. A man wearing a kabuki mask attacking them with Hiro's presumably destroyed Microbots? They might throw them both in the loony bin if they heard that story.

He had to think of something quickly, though. Hiro couldn't let this upsetting revelation impair his brother's judgment. Make him do something that got himself hurt; make him decide to play the martyr for the sake of justice on Callaghan's behalf.

_**Now that wouldn't do at all**_.


	2. Poison

_Here's Chapter 2, finally. I will admit, this chapter had to end where it did, or else it would have gone on to be over ten thousand words easy. I actually got a bit surprised at the length, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing the brothers interacting with Aunt Cass and their friends. Even little Mochi XD. Also, while I did initially plan for this to be only three chapters, it looks like it's gonna be a little longer. I doubt it will be more than five chapters, but it's definitely going to need at least four of them. So, please enjoy the newest chapter! R&R!_

* * *

><p><span><strong>II. Poison<strong>

* * *

><p>Sometimes Cass wished that she really had picked up that book on parenting. There was something definitely amiss with her boys. Well, with Hiro, anyway.<p>

The younger Hamada had gone straight to his room the minute they got home with barely a greeting. Tadashi had apologized on his behalf, convincing her that he was simply tired, and that, "No, Aunt Cass. We didn't have a fight." She worried for her baby boy, though, still calling up to him to remind him about those hot wings.

They had shared some laughs over dinner, Tadashi telling her all about his and Hiro's projects at SFIT.

"You should make me a hunky robo-boyfriend," she had teased, making Tadashi blush to his ears and sputter her name. It was well worth the laugh it drew from Hiro.

He would contribute to their little conversations here and there, but never for too long. Always he slipped back into his taciturn state, poking at his food, so deep in thought that she feared he would never come back out.

It must have been school. Perhaps Hiro had finally found material that could challenge his vast intellect ('_Unlikely_,' she had scoffed to herself).

There were things she did know, like how much more partial Hiro was to her spicy delicacies than Tadashi was, or how Hiro's mischievous nature stemmed from him wanting to spend more time with his perpetually busy brother (thank goodness they were attending the same university now!).

Then there were things she wished she understood better. Like why Hiro would be so loquacious one moment and utterly silent the next, like what thoughts were racing through those boys' incredible minds.

Whatever had Hiro so down in the dumps fell into the category of the things she wished she understood better.

"We're gonna head upstairs, Aunt Cass. Got a lot of work to do," Tadashi said once they had finished helping her clean up. She bade them goodnight, tiptoeing to kiss Tadashi's cheek before telling them not to study too hard.

"Make sure you two get some sleep!"

She quieted when she felt Hiro wrap his arms around her and whisper, "Thank you, Aunt Cass." Then he ran upstairs, tailing after his brother. A little laugh bubbled past her lips. One of bemused content.

Yes, there were many things Cass wished she understood better, but the one thing she was certain of, if nothing else, was that both her nephews loved her greatly. And she loved them just as fiercely.

* * *

><p>"OK, buddy, you're all set. Try inflating." While neither himself nor Tadashi had been seriously injured, Baymax had suffered a few tears to his form. Nothing that Tadashi couldn't patch up, thankfully. Once he was certain that there were no remaining rips nor any other external or internal damages, Tadashi permitted Baymax to deactivate.<p>

Then he turned to Hiro and asked, "Are you sure that you're OK?"

"You had Baymax scan me twice, Tadashi. Yes, I'm sure I'm OK."

"Great." For the second time that day, Tadashi smacked him on the head.

"Ow! Dude!"

"Just what on Earth were you doing at that warehouse?" He knelt before his brother, his gaze narrowing. "Were you headed to a bot fight again?" Letting him believe that was better than revealing the truth.

_Hey, Tadashi. Guess what. I put a tracker on your hat and bugged your lab. You know, in case you ever try to do anything without telling me about it! _Yeah, like that would go over well.

Tadashi hung his head before standing and groaning. It wasn't like he was lying. He had gone bot fighting. Just not today.

"Unbelievable... You get into SFIT and you still go right back there? Honestly..."

"Sorry." He couldn't remember the last time he had actually apologized to Tadashi, especially over something he thoroughly enjoyed doing. Judging by the look that he bore upon hearing Hiro's murmur, apparently he didn't either.

The older one's gaze softened. "Just don't do it again. I'm glad you're OK." He walked over to Hiro's bed and plopped down, stretching until he felt his joints pop before lying along its width.

"Don't even say it."

"Say what?"

"That I shouldn't have followed you."

"Am I really that easy to read?"

"Yes." Hiro glared at his older brother, who simply shrugged.

"Actually, I was just wondering when you'd built those M-bots. I think that's what you called them." Hiro's annoyance wavered and his shoulders sagged when he affirmed their name. "How did you come up with the idea for them?"

To ease the loneliness of not having Tadashi around.

He laughed, soft and true. A sound that never ceased to enrapture the younger one. "They sure came in handy!"

"Well, Megabot is pretty powerful. So, why not make more of them? I could be kicking butt in – what? Fifty fights at once? Increase my profit margin by – oh, I don't know – two hundred percent?"

"Unbelievable."

He was purposely avoiding the most vital information. Trying hard to lure Hiro into a false sense of security with his weak attempts at misdirection.

_**Those were his Microbots**_.

Hiro joined him on the bed, curling against his brother's side and resting his head upon his strong chest, listening to the rhythm of his breath (_Inhale. Exhale._). Hiro sighed contentedly when he felt a warm hand thread through his unruly hair.

The best way – the only way – would be to directly approach the subject.

He hadn't expected Tadashi not to know what to do. His brother always had a plan, and for every plan, he had a backup plan. Being stumped was not something that suited Tadashi. Going to the authorities had been one suggestion, but Hiro was prepared to trump it (_"And get laughed out of the station? Or – and just here me out – they throw us back in jail!"_).

They could think of something to stop the man. They were the Hamada brothers! Inventing was in their blood! Like his Megabot. Like Baymax. Like every single thing they ever created. Like the M-bots... Wait. Eureka!

"M-bots!" His sudden shout startled Tadashi. "M-bots, Tadashi," he repeated. "We can take him on ourselves!"

"Are you insane?" He sat up and pushed Hiro off of him. "That maniac could have killed us!" He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper, mindful of Cass' presence downstairs.

"Exactly. It's a safety measure." Hiro rolled off the bed and moved to stand before his brother. "What if he comes after us again, huh? I'm the one who made those Microbots, remember?" Hiro's counter was spot on, and it – quite frankly – scared Tadashi. What if he did come after Hiro? Still, he shook his head, and Hiro needn't had been a genius to figure out why.

"It's too dangerous. If anything, I should -"

"- you? Oh, so I'm just supposed to sit here and watch you face that man alone? I don't think so."

"Hiro -"

"- Rule Twenty-eight."

"What?"

"What's Rule Twenty-eight, Tadashi?" He sighed, but Hiro still urged him to recite it.

"Rule Twenty-eight: Hamada bros always have each other's backs." That's the way it has always been, and Hell would faster freeze over than that ever be changed.

It was for the best that they kept this information to themselves. After all, no matter how powerful the Microbots were, they could both still formulate a method of defeat. So, he pushed the M-bots until Tadashi acquiesced. Fighting fire with fire – so to speak – seemed rudimentary at best, but the M-bots could surely accomplish the task. If nothing else, they at least had to try.

In his brother's eyes, though, he could see the traces of hesitation. Still, he could only think of ways that involved Hiro as little as possible. Even though he knew that Hiro could fully well take on this man, crush him as soundly as he did with those weak fighters ever present at the arena. Even though they were a team.

Once they banded together, anything was possible.

_**Right, Tadashi**_?

"OK, Hiro. L-Let's do this, then."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"Definitely."

_**Liar, liar, pants on fire**_.

* * *

><p>Honestly, Tadashi could have held out on telling his friends about the masked man a little longer. It wasn't that Hiro hadn't anticipated this, but this blatant deceit still brewed a hot, gnawing anger that churned in his very core. Didn't Tadashi trust him? Didn't he believe in their unified power?<p>

So, he listened to every confession he spilled forth to his friends (better them than anyone untrustworthy, he supposed). Every fear (_"I'm so scared he hurts Hiro."_), every ounce of indecision (_"I don't know what's the right thing to do."_), even the very plan they had both agreed upon!

"Pretty incredible, right? He calls them M-bots. I've seen these bad boys in action and they are awesome. Well, the prototypes, anyway. He's been upgrading them."

And there were still many more upgrades to be made before they were ready for battle.

No one was supposed to see them before that. Still, the young one couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as Tadashi and the nerd crew admired his handiwork.

He watched as Tadashi activated one of them, simply releasing its compact form (_"Complements of watching you and your bike, Gogo."_) to show its petite but lethal build. This version was different from the last. Whereas the prototypes looked like miniature Megabots, this one consisted of a sleek body composed of counter-rotating blades linked together solely by electromagnetic suspension.

_**Great for slicing those Microbots and that man to pieces**_.

"Oh... He's upgraded them more than I thought."

Carefully, he put the M-bot away, and apologized aloud to Hiro. It made him choke, thinking that his minicams had been discovered. The others looked around, then looked to Tadashi as though he had gone mad.

"Hiro's gone home for the day, hasn't he?" Honey asked.

"Yeah, but it's a rule between us. That we'd never show our work to anyone until it's ready. But, it's just – Ah!" Hiro's heart hurt at the sound of his brother's cry and at the sight of Tadashi slumping in his chair and burying his face in his palms. "I'm so scared. I don't want anyone to hurt him."

Just before Honey could place a comforting hand on his back, he stood and knocked his chair away.

"And I'm so angry! That man! He – He killed the professor!" As abruptly as his anger flared, it faded, and his big brother sunk to his knees and let out a single, dry sob. So soft and pained that it elicited one from Hiro.

Then he brought up the option of going to the police again. They were all quite surprised when Fred flat out rejected the notion.

"You can't be that clueless, Tadashi," he chided.

"F-Freddie, what do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? A freak fire takes down the entire exhibition hall and kills one of the most brilliant men in the world is declared an accident. Hiro's Microbots disappear without a trace and it's because they've been disintegrated by the explosion. Then some masked man is able to sneak massive equipment into an abandoned warehouse and use it to replicate Hiro's tech without anyone seeing him at all. Don't you guys see? The police are in on this whole deal."

"What? That's ridiculous!"

"Maybe -" he pointed to Wasabi before turning on his heels to face the elder Hamada "- but your baby bro's got the right idea, Tadashi. Don't take the chance." It was the first time Hiro had seen this side of Fred, and he couldn't be more thankful for his unbidden cooperation.

"OK, Fred. Game on." Gogo spat her gum into the nearby garbage, her gaze never leaving the blond. "Let's say they are in on this. Who the heck could bribe the police to do their dirty work?"

As far as Hiro was concerned, all Fred needed in that moment was a giant neon sign with the words, _"My time has come!_" hanging over his head with the way his face lit up. He went off on a tangent about super villains, about how they possessed both the means and the motive to accomplish the task at hand. Someone rich enough to control the greedy and the crooked like puppets. Someone vile enough to take a life simply because they wanted something they could not have.

Hiro did not even need to hear the name to know exactly who Fred was speaking of.

Alistair Krei.

Such an obvious choice, really. How could it have even eluded him? Still, even as Fred's logic (astonishingly) made so much sense, it felt off to Hiro. Even if Krei's motive to start the fire was to steal Hiro's Microbots, what was his plan for the Microbots that he would go so far as to attack both himself and Tadashi?

Geniuses or not, they were still young. Kids at heart, despite their age. Facing a predicament of this magnitude would be quite the burden to bear.

"What can we do, Tadashi?" Honey finally whispered. "We can't take on a super villain. We can't take on Krei. We're... We're just us."

"I don't know." Hiro hoped to never see such a hopeless look on his brother's face again.

* * *

><p>He could have sworn he had left the keys to his Vespa sitting right on the counter.<p>

Exhausted from school and worries about the man in the kabuki mask, Tadashi had been no more coherent than a zombie from a cheesy Sci Fi flick upon getting home. He remembered vaguely how patiently Hiro had been waiting for him, and how he had helped him up the stairs and guided him to his bed before promptly snuggling with him.

Still rattled from the conversation he had earlier with their friends, Tadashi had been more than happy for the company. Cuddling and a little playfulness on Hiro's end (earning from Tadashi's whines of, "It tickles, Hiro," to a sleepy hums of, "OK, no more night-night smooches.") had him sleeping soundly. A little too soundly. They both forgot to set his alarm, and Hiro latched on to him like a little tree frog. So he had to fight to get out of bed and rush to get ready.

The night before might have been a bit blurry, but Tadashi could clearly remember tossing his keys on the kitchen counter before letting Hiro lead him upstairs.

So where were they?

"Aunt Cass, have you seen my keys?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't. Do you remember where you left them?"

"Yeah, right over there." He sighed and trudged back upstairs. He – of all people – was not a careless person, neither was he someone who was tardy. Perhaps Hiro knew what he had done with them.

It was just a precaution, really.

Why not keep him home for the day? It was a selfish thought that invaded his mind late last night as he lavished his brother with soft (possessive) kisses. Keep him away from those who would confuse him, those who tried to get in between him and Hiro. While he didn't blame Tadashi for letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak, he just couldn't allow him to continue confiding his feelings in people who couldn't possibly help them.

"Where did you put them?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you, Knucklehead." To his credit he did help Tadashi search for a bit, just everywhere but the actual place they were kept. Along with the spare set. Maybe that was going too far, because Tadashi immediately turned on Hiro to moment he realized that those were missing as well.

"OK, what did you do with them?"

"M-Me?" He swallowed thickly. "Hey! I'm the one helping you look!"

"The main bunch is on me." No, not really. "But I know I didn't touch the spares, so where -" An agitated meow from Mochi caught their attention, and Hiro's brown eyes widened. In his mouth were the keys he had hidden from Tadashi. Spare bunch included.

Hiro glared at the cat, that seemed overly proud of himself, as Tadashi gently took the keys from him. Then, he walked over to Hiro and ruffled his hair and quietly apologized. Even if he hadn't been at all rude about it, even if he had made the right assumption to begin with. It irked the younger one, but he accepted it by throwing a playful punch at Tadashi's side.

"Well, off you go! You're already late."

"Come on," he tossed Hiro his helmet, "I'll give you a ride."

"Huh? Why?"

"What do you mean? We go together all the time!"

"Used to. I know some shortcuts. I'll see you there." A flash of hurt in Tadashi's eyes caught his attention.

"... You're still mad about the Microbot, aren't you?" Hiro denied this. "I really am sorry about -"

"- don't be. We found out something really important because of that. Actually, I will take that ride. I wanna work a bit on the M-bots. Got a sec?"

"Already late," he mumbled, "why not?"

He took a seat on Hiro's bed as the boy hurriedly got dressed, absentmindedly toying with his keys, chewing at his lower lip. Hiro knew exactly what the older one was anxious about, and he candidly wanted to admit to Tadashi that he already knew what he had done. That it was OK to seek outside advice, but also that no one could understand what he felt, what he was going through, like Hiro could.

They were one in the same. His mind was Hiro's. His body was Hiro's. His thoughts were Hiro's. His emotions were Hiro's. His blood (a slow-acting poison running through his veins) was Hiro's.

In return, Hiro was his. There was no escaping that.

"What's wrong, Tadashi?" Feigning ignorance seemed to be the only road on which he could travel with repercussion.

"It's just that... Why are you so sure we can take him? We're just -"

"- 'just'? 'Just' the genius Hamada brothers? What, you're 'just' the man who invented a medical robot and programmed him with over ten thousand medical procedures? Am I 'just' the kid who revolutionized micro-technology single-handed? We're a lot of things, bro, but we're not 'just'." Cocky, young Hiro surely was, but wrong, he surely was not. Maybe this was the wake-up call that Tadashi needed. Remind him that thinking in terms of stupid labels like _**just**_and _**impossible**_contradicted everything that Tadashi had ever taught him.

"If you're gonna start doubting yourself, you better leave me out of it. Besides, whatever happened to looking for a new angle." Harsh with purpose, for his words ignited a certain determination that Hiro thought had been extinguished the night of the fire.

They were glued to each other for days to come, Tadashi keeping careful track of the masked man via the Microbot that Baymax was tracking, and Hiro showing off how amazing (deadly) his upgraded M-bots were. He disregarded all of Tadashi's safety concerns by stating that the upgrades were necessary only to dice the Microbots to bits. They were only going to apprehend the masked man.

Even the rest of the _**Nerd Crew**_ seemed inspired by the brothers' upbeat attitude, slyly inquiring about the purpose of his latest technology (as though trying to vindicate Tadashi), but never quite getting the answer they'd hoped for. That was until Gogo – finally fed up with beating around the bush – snapped and revealed that they already knew the whole story.

He knew that they knew. Hiro knew that very well, but hearing it from someone other than Tadashi had made him furious. He screamed at the man, tearing up a bit at his betrayal, their friends witness to the devastating meltdown. Tadashi's arguments were always sound, always right, but Hiro was so certain that they could do this alone that he just could not bring himself – for once in his life – to accept his brother's words.

Tadashi left early that day, and though the others could understand why he was livid, that didn't stop them from sharing their disapproval.

"Not cool, bro. He's your big brother."

"Hiro, I never expected that from you."

"Talk to us when you decide to woman up."

All except for Honey Lemon.

"You got something to say? Just say it," he spoke as put the finishing touches on his M-bots.

"You were very mean to Tadashi."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"We're your friends, Hiro. We just want to help."

"All the more reason for you not to."

"I know about the cameras in the lab."

"I – wait. You do?" She explained. When Tadashi had apologized aloud to him in their presence, she'd seen the brief glint of light in its lens before surmising that its presence must have been no accident. Then she proceeded to identify where he had hid each and every one of them.

"There's only one person who knows Tadashi's lab well enough to successfully spy on it, and that's you."

"Not successful enough if I've been caught."

"Caught by complete accident is different. You can test and test all you want, random chance is something that you can't account for." There were ways around it, he wanted to argue, but chose to remain silent, waiting instead for the question he knew would come. "Why?"

Because Tadashi had been glum since the fire, and even more so when he learned about the arsonist in the kabuki mask. They needed to catch (_**kill**_) this man so that he couldn't hurt anyone else. So that whatever he was planning to do with Hiro's Microbots would be thwart.

Because Tadashi had the utmost respect for Professor Callaghan, and the man deserved justice even in death.

"Then let me help you, Hiro."

"Honey -"

"- please. I can be your eyes whenever you can't keep track of Tadashi yourself." That would be impossible, he scoffed, but she pressed, "What about when he doesn't want you to face this guy yourself?"

"He needs the M-bots to beat him."

"Why do you think he's been learning how to handle them?" No... Tadashi _**no**_!

"You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted, swiping at the mess of crumpled papers and little M-bots atop his desk before kicking his chair across the room. Honey seized his wrist before his anger could best him once more, giving him a stern warning to control his temper before letting him have her seat.

She knelt before him, encouraging him to calm himself. "I can help you, Hiro. I don't know how exactly, but I know I can." He kept his eyes on the gentle hands that encased his own, kneading the tender flesh. While he couldn't say she was his first pick, he couldn't bring himself to reject her. As a matter of fact, he greatly appreciated her offer.

Perhaps he did need a little assistance controlling Tadashi. Dark eyes glanced to his brother's corner of their shared space. He knew just the someone who could do that.

* * *

><p>"Baymax! What are you doing?" Tadashi's hollers of utter shock was his alarm early Saturday morning, and he couldn't be happier for them.<p>

"My sensors indicate that your body temperature is abnormally elevated. This indicates that you may have contracted a cold. Please, rate your pain on a scale of one to ten so that I may properly diagnose you."

"Zero, Baymax," came Tadashi's stern reply. "I am sat -"

"- bed rest is recommended until the ailment has been alleviated." When Baymax pinned him to the sheets, all plans of escape were deemed futile. Baymax could stop a semi with the strength Tadashi had imbued him with. Keeping him in bed would be a cinch.

"H-Hiro! Help!" he squeaked as Baymax began to undress him, stating that he would feel much more relaxed with less clothing. He was not bared, thankfully. Merely stripped down to his undershirt and boxers before being swaddled in linen sheets.

"I don't know. You did program Baymax yourself." He chuckled at Tadashi's mortified expression.

"What's going on up there?" came Cass' shout. "I hear yelling!" Dealing with the mid-morning rush alone and yet she still had time to check on her boys.

"Tadashi's not feeling well and he's not listening to Baymax!"

"That's not -!"

"You better stay in bed, young man!" she warned. "I'm gonna make you some soup. Make sure your brother's OK, Hiro!"

"Will do!" With that, he stood and sauntered over to his struggling brother and patted Baymax on the back. "Good job, buddy." His brother's vain attempts at escape ceased, his brows furrowing in confusion.

_**Three**_. _**Two**_. _**One**_.

"You made Baymax do this?"

_**Bingo**_.

"Payback." He stated, a triumphant smirk he bore. "You should have told me that you told the others. So, Baymax here will hold you down until I say otherwise." Sure, he had to reprogram Baymax to respond abnormally solely when reading Tadashi's biorhythm, and he had to lug Baymax all the way home (it was fun, though, sitting atop the robot's shoulders and messing around on the trolleys for a bit), but it was definitely worth the outcome.

It was Hiro's turn to be confused when a small smile formed on his brother's lips. "Am I forgiven, then?" The little one slid beneath Baymax and laid atop his brother at his words, nuzzling into his chest and peering up into those wide eyes of pure honey.

"Of course!" he wanted to affirm, but the words would not come. He was still angry, rightfully or not, but – in the long run – he could never hold this against Tadashi. The guy was just looking out for him, doing what he could to protect him.

The one weakness in his older brother. The one weakness that made Tadashi all the more perfect, all the more desirable, in his eyes. His selflessness, especially in his devotion to Hiro.

Hiro stayed in this position for a while, eventually hiding his gaze from Tadashi. His brother let himself stay pinned, only whispering, "I am satisfied with my care," once Baymax relinquished his hold first, deeming that his unruly patient would heed his medical expertise.

Instead of reprimanding Hiro for his puerile foolishness, he rubbed soothing circles on the boy's back, massaging his sore muscles, laughing lightly when he realized that Hiro had fallen asleep at some point and had begun to suck his thumb. Some habits never died, he supposed. He might as well let him rest, wait for Cass to bring that soup (hopefully it wouldn't be spicy like her hot wings).

By the time Cass managed to tame the crowds and fill every order she'd taken and gotten the chance to take some broth up to her nephews, the two had already fallen asleep. Curled into each other like little kittens, with Mochi snuggled in between them.

Oh! She definitely needed to get a camera! This was one for the Christmas album.

* * *

><p>He should believe in them. Trust them because Tadashi trusted them, because of how much he knew that they loved both himself and Tadashi.<p>

Those thoughts drove him from the comfort of Tadashi's arms to his desk, where he began working on the designs that plagued him. Incorporating the most outstanding traits of their friends.

Courage (because playing with deadly chemicals was no laughing matter). Precision (because those lasers were so cool). Speed (because who needed brakes anyway?). Passion (because everything would be for naught without drive). Strength (because he had to make sure that they would all be safe, and Baymax's number one priority was his patient's health).

Weaving them into designs that he knew Tadashi wouldn't be able to help glimpsing at, that he knew would excite everyone at the prospects at would could be.

Hiro recalled Honey's words to Tadashi, about being regular nerds. Why settle for that? If they wanted to fight, if they wanted to help, they would have to be willing to look for new angle. They'd have to be willing to accept what Hiro knew. That they all could be so much more than a simple _**just**_.

Hiro watched Mochi cuddle his snoring brother, and let out a breathy chuckle. He could go so far when thinking of Tadashi. Strong and broad and a natural leader. His muse, his idol.

Images of a silver suit with streaks of red flooded his mind, one that emphasized his strength and would protect his lithe body from injury. Sharp blades hidden in the forearms in case he is directly engaged by the masked man. Magnetic locks that would ground him to Baymax, who would be able to get him to safety if worse came to pass.

(Oh boy. It was like his mind had an orgasm just thinking about it.)

The real challenge came when he thought of himself. What could he do to help out? The M-bots were one plan, but if there was anything he'd learned from Tadashi, that would be to always have a backup plan.

Just what more could he do?

_**What to do to protect Tadashi**_?

* * *

><p><em>I know not much action took place, but this chapter was a necessary setup for what is to come. I guarantee you, you're gonna enjoy it. And, like I said earlier, the interactions with the Nerd Crew always makes me happy!<em>

_On another note, tell me what you think of Hiro's behavior. I just don't see him going all ballistic and "Mine, mine, mine," out of the blue. I wanted to see him slowly spiral into that sort of madness. Where he desperately wants to protect Tadashi and snaps if something really bad was to happen. Other than that, his actions seem pretty "normal"._

_Most of the _story_ will be told from his point of view, but there will be rare times I jump around, especially at the beginning (anyone figured out the pattern of the beginning portions? XD)._


	3. Red

_OK! _Finally_ back _with_ a new chapter! I hope I haven't lost anyone's interest. I do apologize for such a long wait. I've been pretty busy with college starting back up and just life in general, and honestly there was a lot of back-and-forth about what worked with this chapter, but I've finally gotten it to a point that I thoroughly enjoyed. The revision was the easiest of all I've written so far. I didn't see anyone answer my question, so I'll just go ahead and say it._

_The introductory portions flow in the following manner: _future_ (Tadashi in chapter 1), present (Cass in chapter 2), and - now - past (Honey Lemon!). Then it repeats! So, the next chappie (and quite possibly the last!) will be introduced with a glimpse into the future. WoooOOooooOoOoo!_

_(I really hope the length of the chapters aren't too off-putting. I mean, I don't want the info to be overwhelming for anyone.)_

_I hope you guys enjoy! Thank you so much for your lovely words of inspiration! I always enjoy seeing a new review on the story! _Sorry_ again for the wait! The next shouldn't take too much longer! Time permit ^^_

* * *

><p><span><strong>III. Red<strong>

* * *

><p>It was unnerving knowing that they were being monitored, however, Honey was glad that she noticed them. She had to tell Tadashi! Perhaps that psycho in the mask he had spoken of was – No. It couldn't be. There was no way he would be able to break into a technologically advanced school like SFIT, locate Tadashi's and Hiro's lab, and bug it without the brothers' immediately noticing that something was amiss.<p>

Tadashi was too comfortable. Almost as if his workspace hadn't at all been violated. Almost as if these minicams were planted by an insider.

By Hiro.

Keep a straight face. Don't gasp. Don't let anyone suspect anything. Don't tell anyone, not even Tadashi. Whatever Hiro was up to, he must have had his reasons for doing it.

Perhaps he worried for his brother's safety, just as Tadashi would stress over his. Perhaps they were part of a prank. One committed sometime before the day of the dreaded fire and simply forgotten.

Somehow, she seriously doubted the latter.

* * *

><p>Hiro completed his sketches and most of the details surrounding them around evening time. Then he collapsed onto his own bed, stretching languidly in the cool sheets before flopping unto his belly. He did not, or – rather – could not slumber, though, as his mind was still alive and filing through various alterations that would reflect more favorable outcomes when the battle with the mysterious arsonist was finally at hand.<p>

He did not move when he heard Tadashi yawn and pop his joints, nor when he heard Tadashi tiptoe across the room and came to a stop at his bedside.

Hiro nearly purred when his older brother tickled his nape and combed his hair. So attentive, so affectionate. It made Hiro want to return the favor. Then, Tadashi rolled into bed beside him, and buried his nose in Hiro's messy nest of hair. Hiro stretched and glanced back at Tadashi, a lazy grin playing on his lips.

"Hey there, sleepy head," Tadashi greeted.

"Good day. Night. Whatever," he drawled before shifting to face Tadashi and snuggling up to him.

"Geez, you're so spoiled." He groaned when Hiro refused to relinquish his hold. "It's like you're five again."

"Quit complaining. You know you love it." Hiro would never grow out of the urge to cling to him. It struck more powerfully each time, like a bolt of lightening shooting through his veins, burning him with renewed vigor and desire each and every time he merely glanced his brother's way. He'd been denying himself the luxury of Tadashi's warmth for too long now, giving him the space he thought the older one deserved.

(Still, despite his good intentions, Hiro noticed how he'd backed Tadashi into a corner anyway, encroaching in on his territory until every inch was claimed. And Tadashi had let him without complaint.)

Tadashi stuck his tongue out at him, and Hiro resisted the urge to suck on it. Gross him out, then laugh at him when he gags and runs to the bathroom to wash his mouth out with soap!

He ruffled Hiro's hair before sitting up, pulling the younger one up with him. Tadashi chuckled at Hiro's weak protests, but knew that he would follow him out anyway. They had spent way too much time lounging about in bed today, and they were both pretty hungry, not having eaten anything since the day before.

Cass was more than accommodating. So proud she was of her college boys. They must have been tired with how hard they've been working this semester. The least she could do was make them a nice meal. The soup she'd promised (not too spicy, but with enough heat to chase any bugs that would hinder her boys from their work), along with some tasty cucumber sandwiches and two packs of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

Then she kissed them both, commenting on how well Tadashi looked, glad that he hadn't caught anything serious.

He'd nearly forgotten about that incident. He gave Hiro a good kick to the shin when Cass wasn't looking, and the boy yelped. Hiro didn't rat him out, though, looking as innocent as possible beneath her suspicious gaze.

"Must have been Mochi," he chuckled nervously. Though the squeak was clearly that of a human, Cass simply shook her head and accepted the explanation.

Her warning of, "Don't rough each other up too much," let them know that she knew exactly what was going on.

Once they were out of her sight, Hiro practically shoved him into their garage/lab before shutting the door.

"What was that for?"

"You know exactly what that was for." Tadashi straightened his cap.

"Yeah? And you know why I did it."

"Hiro... I think we need to talk."

"I really think so too." He had already rid his system of any betrayal he felt towards Tadashi for disclosing any intel on the masked man. He had already listened to every reason Tadashi could conjure to justify his actions. At this point, he literally just wanted to shout, "Read my journal, stupid!" at Tadashi, but – once again – refrained from doing so. At least it wasn't another spiel of insecurity.

Instead, Tadashi related what they had theorized in Hiro's absence. The possible identity of the masked assailant (Alistair Krei). How Hiro may have been right to not go to the police. Things that Hiro already knew, but maintained his pretense of ignorance before his older brother.

Tadashi genuinely wanted to enlist their help, even if they wouldn't actually be engaging in combat (as far as he knew, anyway), but was petrified of any of them being hurt at all.

They would get involved regardless of what he or Tadashi wanted at this point. Not that Hiro was unprepared for this alteration, but now he knew exactly the role they could play.

_**They could be decoys**_.

He could program a hidden directive in their respective suits to activate if Tadashi's life was endangered. They would protect him anyway, surely they would not recognize the extra boost of power they would receive if that scenario were to occur. If they did, well, an adrenaline rush made people have awesome moments all the time! (Maybe Honey – or even Fred - could cover for him on that one.)

There was a way to keep them safe, he told Tadashi. A way that they could help without being hurt.

"Baymax."

"What?"

"Think about it. Remember when I said that we should build some armor for Baymax?" Tadashi immediately began shaking his head. "Listen to me. Let's say the plan with the M-bots fail, Baymax can protect us."

"He wasn't built for that, Hiro. He was -"

"- built to care for the sick and provide top-of-the-line medical care." He'd mimicked his brother's voice perfectly, in his opinion. "How would what I'm saying be any different than his actual purpose? Besides, you're OK with involving those guys. If worse does come to pass – don't shake your head. I'm just stating a possibility. If worse comes to pass, Baymax can protect us and get us to safety."

"... What do you suggest?"

Hiro grinned. "I've got a couple things in mind."

* * *

><p>It took some time to fix Baymax's responses to him, and his rotten, little brother would only laugh every time the robotic nurse would activate and attempt to attend to Tadashi's nonexistent medical needs.<p>

"Fix this now, Hiro."

"Sorry, bro, but I'll have to pass on that." Little jerk ran away after that. Something about the M-bots again. "I thought you were done with those."

"Perfection takes time."

"Oh, well, by all means, just leave me here with a malfunctioning robot and go to your precious M-bots." It was sarcasm, Hiro. Sarcasm! Big bro needed help not being pinned to the bed by Baymax!

The circumstances became even more embarrassing when Cass walked in on Baymax attempting to strip him down again.

Red-faced and down to his t-shirt and boxers, Tadashi stammered, "Coding complications." The woman merely nodded and went away for the night. She didn't dare venture back up, and it made him feel all the more chagrined.

Finally, he was able to amend the changes made by Hiro, miraculously not triggering Baymax's response mechanism again. He discovered the hard way that Hiro had also tampered with it, making it far more sensitive than it was before.

(Naughty kid even left a less than charming message in the source code. Oh well, he could always hide his Megabot behind the fridge.)

With his struggles over at last, Tadashi began monitoring the Microbot's activity once more. It had been frantic and alive for a few hours after their initial clash with the masked man, however, its movements soon simmered before ceasing altogether. He thought that perhaps there was a fault, something he missed that made the link sever, but he was quickly able to lay to rest his panic when he noticed that the Microbot would make brief movements on random intervals. Definitely no longer within the warehouse district, but close enough to San Fransokyo for Tadashi to be worried.

There was no news of the masked man, no assaults nor reported sightings. Maybe he would leave for good, maybe he and Hiro would not have to fight him at all. Or maybe he was waiting for the right moment to strike and capture Hiro.

Why not now? Why was he taking so long? They couldn't possibly have staved him off if he had chosen to pursue them from day one. He was practically giving them all the time in the world to prepare for either fight or flight. For what? What was he planning?

"Tadashi, Hiro's tiny robot has not been very active. Should I be concerned?"

'_Absolutely_.' "No, Baymax. It's fine." The elder Hamada sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. If only there was some way he could protect Hiro, keep him out of this whole mess. The boy was brilliant, he knew he could defeat the man. He did create those Microbots; of course he would know their weakness. But those dreaded words still rang in his ears: _If worse comes to pass_...

What if it did?

Adroit planning was crucial to victory, but – amidst the utter chaos of the battlefield – nothing was assured. Not victory nor survival.

He already felt like he'd failed Hiro by even putting him in a position where battle was an option, and – quite frankly - he just couldn't see anything good coming of his baby brother facing that brute. Hiro was not savage, not merciless, not someone who would be willing to kill in cold blood. Not like that _**monster **_could. Even now, he could still vividly recall the metallic snare upon his leg, crushing it, remorselessly wringing from him tortured cries.

"My scanners indicate that there has been a spike in your cortisol levels." He nearly jumped when Baymax spoke. Seriously, he was a giant made of vinyl. How could he possibly forget he was in the room? "Diagnosis: stress. Would you like a massage? It should soothe your nerves."

"Thanks, Baymax," he chuckled, "but I'm good."

"Are you worried about Hiro?"

"Yeah... I mean, he's always causing some kind of mischief, but I think he might be biting off more than he can chew with this one."

Baymax blinked and tilted his head to the side. "Are you referring to the man who has stolen his tiny robot?"

"Yes." That and a whole list of crimes too painful to recount, but ones that he deserved to be dealt swift justice for.

Brown eyes flickered over to Hiro's desk and locked on the leather-bound journal laying exposed atop the wooden surface. It wasn't open, but Hiro really should be more careful with where he leaves his things!

He would be a liar if he said that he wasn't a tiny bit interested in what his brother wrote in there, and he really couldn't be given wrong for peeking. As he went to pick up the book, he froze. This would be a massive invasion of Hiro's privacy, and – no matter how he tried to warrant his actions – Tadashi could not even bring himself to flip open the cover.

He let out a breathy laugh and lay his palm flat atop its smooth front. Then, he whispered to himself, "Rule Seventy-two: Hamada bros don't snoop through each other's stuff."

Recalling how they had gotten to that rule was a fond if distant memory. It was around the time he had first purchased it for Hiro. His baby brother was so gifted, so full of daring and intelligence. It would be a shame for him to forget even the faintest idea, he'd thought. Hiro could get so wrapped up in the here-and-now, especially when something _**really **_held his interest, that he would wind up disregarding the minor flashes of pure genius that would light that beautiful mind.

He wanted to see his every thought come to life, and putting it down on paper was a relatively easy way of doing so.

Tadashi had just been so tempted to know what invention had his baby brother animatedly scribbling in the middle of the night. That was where he first learned of his _**friend**_, Megabot, and also where he realized just how terribly affected Hiro was by his peers' (_as if they deserved that title_) enmity. He knew his brother had problems with those jealous brats, but Hiro had always brushed it off, even when Tadashi had to endure the heartache of seeing tears well up in those big eyes.

On those blank pages, however, he painted a rhapsody of anger and misery and rejection and longing. So entranced he was by his little brother's words that he did not even notice his own tears smudging the ink, nor did he notice little Hiro standing there, watching him. He did hear him scream, however, and watched him crumble and bawl until his eyes were puffy and his nose and cheeks were red, until Cass had come and embraced them both so tightly that he could feel it even now.

He still loved that moment, despite the pain, because it had brought them closer. Made him understand Hiro more intimately, and made Hiro trust Tadashi with his thoughts and emotions more wholly.

Sappiness aside, it had been the incident that bred the rule that Tadashi could remember so clearly, even to this date.

A rule to be upheld, and Tadashi would surely do so.

* * *

><p>They worked brilliantly. The M-bots had reduced their target (a simple, wooden dummy) to nothing more than wood shavings in a matter of seconds. Both speed and precision were spot on. Honey had cheered for him, the only sound of life in the empty lab. It was a little weird, considering that there should be at least a few others who would work well into the wee hours of the morning. Oh well, the less witnesses, the better.<p>

"You didn't call me here for that, did you?" She could read him like an open book.

"No. Well, yes. But not this alone. I've come up with something."

Hiro had reviewed the details of the suits hundreds of times in the hours he'd put them together. While he couldn't say that they were one hundred percent flawless, it was a good place to start. And a good way to show that he'd decided to "woman up" and repent for his delinquent behavior yesterday.

Honey was elated by the idea, even more so when he actually elaborated upon what he had in mind for her. Had he thought of this for anyone else, Hiro was certain that it would be a deathtrap. Volatile chemicals being combined in exact quantities solely from memory without being double-checked was a very risky move. Honey Lemon, however, was more than ready to accept the challenge.

So much she could create! So much she could destroy!

She'd literally grabbed Hiro and smooched him right on the cheek from the glee she felt. His cheeks reddened, and he had to resist the urge to pull his hood over his head. He settled for crossing his arms and watching her bounce in place a bit before she took some pictures to commemorate the moment.

After he'd let her have her mini-celebration, he decided to accept her previous offer.

"Honey, will you help me?"

"Help you?"

"Protect Tadashi."

"Of course I will, Hiro! We all will!" She hugged him. "We're your friends, and his friends too. We'll have each other's backs, no matter what." He returned the embrace. The affirmation wasn't actually needed, but it was always nice to hear. Their cooperation would make his plans go so much smoother.

"What is your plan, Hiro? How are we going to fight this man?"

"Simple. Go for his mask. He's using it to control my Microbots. Take that away from him, and we'll win for sure."

"You never told me what you were going to do?" She chewed at her bottom lip. "I know you're piloting the M-bots, but that's not all, is it?"

He shook his head, gaze downcast. That was something he still needed to work out.

* * *

><p>While it would have been fun to see Tadashi struggle to get Baymax under control again, Hiro decided to ease up on the man. He would have all the time in the world to mess with Tadashi once that arsonist was out of the picture.<p>

Instead, he changed the name of the primary patient from his own to his older brother's. It was fitting, seeing that Tadashi was the one who created Baymax in the first place.

Once he completed his task, Baymax decided to scan him. It surprised him a bit, seeing that he hadn't exhibited any signs of distress. He must have triggered it somehow.

"Scan complete. Hiro, your cortisol levels are elevated, though I see no external signs of stress. Are you also worried about your tiny robot?"

"Sort of, buddy."

"Tadashi said not to be worried."

"Figures," he snorted. "It's not so much that I'm worried about the Microbot, Baymax," he explained. "I'm worried about the person who has it." Hiro laid back, eyes half-mast and hazy, tiredness finally becoming him after the numerous, sleepless nights he had spent working on finalizing those M-bots.

Then there was last night. Weird, awkward last night.

He was home before nine and ready to shower and hit the sack before eleven struck (for once). Cass, however, had pulled him away from the staircase, insisting that he sampled the batch of cookies she was preparing for tomorrow. He had done so happily, but stopped when he noticed that she was doing the same at a much faster rate.

Stress eating.

He had asked her what was wrong, and she had mumbled something incoherent before flashing him a chocolate-stained smile and lying about debating on whether she should alter the menu to include some new items but was uncertain about whether she could always afford to purchase the extra ingredients and whatnot. It was certainly not because she had caught Tadashi and Baymax doing anything inappropriate if that was what Hiro was thinking!

That had cracked him up. He had laughed so hysterically that his eyes watered and Tadashi rushed downstairs to see what all the commotion was about. The elder brother shared a look of concern with his aunt as they watched him struggle to contain himself and get to his feet.

"_It was my fault, Aunt Cass,"_ he had admitted. _"I programmed Baymax to think that Tadashi was sick."_

"_So... he wasn't?"_

"_Uh..."_

"_You're grounded."_ It had been Tadashi's turn to laugh while he sulked about the unfairness of it all.

"_You reap what you sow."_ He was much too happy to quote that at Hiro. He would have to remember that when he reprogrammed Baymax next. Perhaps tickling him until he fainted would be a suitable punishment (or _**cure **_in Baymax's database.)

"Sharing your concerns with others does help to lighten them. Would you like to speak about them? Perhaps with Tadashi? He seems knowledgeable about the situation."

"He is, but he's helping Aunt Cass with the bakery." Baymax edged closer to him until Hiro was peering into two black eyes. They looked like big ole buttons, he thought. "Actually, do you mind hearing my rant?"

"Of course not." Hiro did not realize that Baymax knew so little of their predicament. It was to be expected, though; no one had taken the time to consider his input. So he included every minor detail he could think of, even his own frustrations over Tadashi and that man's identity. Could it really be Alistair Krei?

"His blood type is AB Negative. Cholesterol levels are -"

"- wait!" Hiro jumped to his feet, and the robot shuffled back to give him space. "Baymax, you scanned him?"

"I am programmed to assess everyone's healthcare needs." Hiro let out a whoop at his statement. This was perfect! He could use the data from Baymax's scan to find him!

"Can you link the information to a name?"

"Unfortunately, I do not have access to any records that could provide this information." There were ways to work around that, like accessing a couple thousand medical records at once until he found the one that matched exactly with Baymax's scan. Would that be unethical and most definitely illegal? Yes. But, to be fair, it also sounded like a lot of fun.

Hiro paced the floor until his feet finally took him to his brother's side of the room. Hiro climbed atop the sheets and sat cross-legged, hunching forward, elbows digging into his thighs and his chin resting on the bridge his fingers made.

"You are still stressed."

"Ya think?"

"Will apprehending the masked man make you feel better, Hiro?" _**Apprehending**_ was far too innocent a word to describe what he would do if he got hold of that man. He agreed with the robot nonetheless.

"How's that gonna work for us, bud?" He let out a breathy chuckle. "Think we'd make good superheroes?" Baymax tilted his head.

"You are not fond of rules and enjoy sneaking out to attend 'bot fights', according to Tadashi. When engaging an opponent, you seem to prefer direct confrontation with minimal, external interference. Your priority at all intervals of the confrontation is total annihilation of your opponent." Had him pegged for sure, he'd give him that. "You would not make a very good superhero."

"Hey! I resent that! Lots of superheroes work alone! And not all of 'em are little angels either."

Then, it clicked. Direct confrontation. Of course!

Hiro leaped directly onto Baymax and planted a wet one right on his camera lens. "Thanks, Baymax! You're a genius!"

Maybe that was why his mind blanked whenever he tried to connect his personal suit with the rest of the group. It wasn't because he didn't trust them, nor was it because he'd hit a wall.

It was just as Baymax said, he preferred working solo.

* * *

><p>Hiro didn't answer his call, simply continued on his way (with Baymax in tow) to their lab and locked the door behind him. Before he followed, he asked his aunt if she needed anymore help. Of course she didn't! He had done so much, and she was so grateful for his assistance.<p>

Tadashi removed his apron and tried the door. Locked indeed. So he knocked.

"Yeah?" came Hiro's muffle call.

"Open up, it's the police."

A snicker.

"Oh no! Baymax, take the money and run!"

An infectious one, too.

"What are you doing in there? You're supposed to be grounded."

"You can't ground genius, Tadashi. I have needs! I need to thrive!" Tadashi laughed, leaning against the frame to keep himself upright.

"What are you working on? Let me see."

"Nuh-uh! Hamada bros never reveal their work to the world until it's ready!"

"Then gimme a clue."

"Go upstairs." Hiro directed. "That's your clue."

"Rude."

"That was not rude!"

Tadashi figured that Hiro was referring to their room. He was there all morning, moping around, or so he thought.

Hiro's journal caught his attention. So innocently left atop his desk, wide open and in plain view of prying eyes. How silly of him! Wait, was that his clue? Did Hiro want him to read his journal?

Temptation truly was sweet.

Tadashi flipped through the pages carefully, eyes widening as he read through the complex series of notes. From Baymax's sturdy battle form to Gogo's more aerodynamic one, they built upon individual strengths yet linked them inextricably together. Every design immaculate in his eyes.

He stifled his giggles as he read Hiro's side notes (because he really had to talk about those invisible sandwiches) and let out choppy snorts as if to say, "Really, Hiro?"

He could feel the thrill it drew bubble from within his depths, a certain thrill that he had not felt since their days of inventing hover-carts and other dangerous but fun things. It grew more and more pronounced as he read on, as he discovered the suit dedicated to him. He marveled at how intricate it was compared to the rest; fully colored and tailored to fit only Tadashi.

The magnitude of it all left him speechless, nearly rendered him unable to walk, but Tadashi still managed to make his way back to the locked door downstairs.

"I take it you read it?" Hiro asked when he heard the awaited knock. He received no reply, but the older one's stupor was expected.

The elder Hamada found himself seated on their couch with Hiro snuggled in his lap, working on what looked like the armor for Baymax he had seen in the journal.

"You gonna help me convince them, or just sit here like a dummy?"

"Hiro... W-What about you, Hiro? How are you going to protect yourself? Or..."

"I've got my M-bots. Besides, I'm not as strong as you guys." The fact that there was not even a hint of bitterness in his voice tipped Tadashi off that there was much more in stored in Hiro's vision. "These suits are our 'what if' scenario. And... And I hope that they're on board with it. I mean, I know they're probably mad at me still, but -"

"- they'll be on board," he confirmed as he wrapped his arms around the younger one and peered at the screen. "And I am too."

The responses from the rest of the gang were similar to his initial one, save for the dash of disbelief. Yes, they were nerds. Yes, they were just college students. However, an opportunity like this came once in a lifetime, and that was if you were truly lucky.

Their concurrence – that they were all friends and that they would help no matter what – and the excited chattering on Fred's part about how their origin stories were just beginning all became background noise to Tadashi. Paled before the glow of utter ebullience in his little brother's eyes. He wasn't surprised. This was his... No. This was _**their **_biggest project to date.

This was the best way to protect Hiro.

* * *

><p>When that Microbot mobilized, it really got going. Something big was about to go down; Tadashi could feel it in his bones. They'd barely had a day to practice control over their gear, and even less time to actually work as a team, but none of that mattered right now. All that mattered was catching that man. Catching him before he had a chance to hurt anyone else, before he had a chance to hurt Hiro.<p>

They could do it! They had the resources and the manpower from these suits alone. The M-bots wouldn't even be necessary at this point. They could... They could be used to help their aunt slice and dice things in the kitchen! Yeah! That would be cool.

Baymax sent out the signal, told them where to go. If his calculations were correct, the Microbot, along with the thief who was misusing it, would be arriving shortly at the loading docks. The very place where they had spent some hours honing their skills (trying to reach a decent level before answering the call to action, in this case), and testing their equipment.

There had been a few hiccups, but nothing irredeemable. Though, Tadashi had ended up making a mental note to keep Hiro as far away from Wasabi's plasma blades as possible. That and Fred's flame-throwing abilities alarmed him to some extent. Alas, it was what excited his friend, and he trusted him not to be careless with those abilities.

_Not at all like the tyrant who robbed the world of such a good, respected man_.

Only Honey Lemon seemed a little hesitant, and not for the reasons he'd assumed.

"What about Hiro?" she pressed. "His M-bots?"

"If we take this guy down here, Hiro won't even need to get involved."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

After a moment of silence, he pursed his lips and gave his reply, "It is in my book. I'll see you guys there, Honey Lemon. Keep your heads down just in case. I'll think of a plan." He cut the video call after that.

Then he turned to Baymax. He really did look very cool in his armor (intimidating as well in that sleek red), and Tadashi couldn't help but admire his own gear a little (he'd geeked out more than enough over building it). They really did look like superheroes.

"Wings, Baymax," he commanded, and the robot followed his orders.

"I have some concerns."

Tadashi snorted, "Tell me about it." They probably should have tested his flight features first.

"I fail to see how flying will make me a better healthcare companion."

"Trust me, bud. Right now, it will."

"Does it have to do with the tiny robot?"

"Yes. You think you'll be able to get us to those docks in one piece?"

"I believe I can," Baymax affirmed without hesitation.

Then they took off like a rocket. Tadashi couldn't remember a time he had screamed so hard in all his twenty-one years of life. Lucky for those locks Hiro had recommended for him, or else he would have fallen right off.

"Too high, Baymax! Stop before we breach the troposphere!" To Baymax's defense, he did say stop, not slow down. So when they began plummeting to the ground, Tadashi's voice raised a few more octaves. "Thrusters, Baymax! Thrust! Thrust!" The robot shot forward, thankfully, he went horizontally. "Too much thrust!"

Tadashi shut his eyes a few times, fearing a crippling collision with one of the many skyscrapers they zoomed past, or when he'd ordered Baymax higher once more, directly in the path of the countless blimps that lined the skies.

It became easier to pilot him, though, calling instructions and even encouraging Baymax to go faster, to make some loops and barrel rolls, gain some control over his new found capabilities.

'_Time to test those magnets_,' he thought as he made a leap from Baymax's back, landing lightly upon one of the blimps and dashing across before diving right off the edge. He must have fallen somewhere between ten and fifteen feet before Baymax caught him and locked him into place once more.

He yelled, flinging his arms and tossing his head back. His body trembled with mirth. It stole his fright, made him crave the high. When Baymax entered another barrel roll, he kicked off once more, enjoying the ocean of bright lights and the orchestra of bustling lives and roaring winds and – he nearly hit that train. Oh gosh! Thank goodness Baymax caught him in time!

"Your adrenaline levels have increased significantly, and your serotonin levels are far higher than they have been recently."

"Yeah? What are you getting at?" Baymax's words didn't click right away.

"The treatment is working." Baymax shifted gears and they lurched forth with the blast of a sonic boom behind them.

With the loading docks in sight, Tadashi signaled the end of their fun and bid him to land as quietly as possible. That went much better than the launch had.

The Microbot was within range now; _**he **_would be here soon. So they took shelter behind one of the large containers, waiting. So fixated he was on the man's appearance that a single tap to his shoulder nearly made him shriek. The sound died on his lips the moment he glimpsed the golden armor.

It was Gogo. "What took you, slowpoke?"

"Flight... issues. Where are the others?"

"This way, let's..." her voice trailed off, drowned beneath the sound of crashing waves. Near a dock? Tadashi whipped around, still keeping his cover, and saw the being who had invoked a tremendous fear in him.

He stood tall and proud atop the army of Microbots, scanning the vacant yard as a precaution. A nocturnal predator on the prowl, ready to hunt and end any creature that had the audacity of posing a challenge.

The Microbots hauled large chunks of metal out of the water, a strange, faded crest of a bird stamped on one of those pieces.

Tadashi glanced back at Gogo, who stared right back in anticipation. He nodded and turned on his communication device. "You guys seeing this?" Affirmative.

"What's the plan?" Wasabi's voice flowed smoothly through the intercom.

"The mask is his source of power. Take that from him, and he's just some guy we can take down."

"Correction. Some weak freak we can pummel to bits." Gogo's snark was always appreciated. It drew a collective chuckle from them.

"I get that. But what's the plan?" he placed emphasis on '_plan_'. "Diversion? Head-on at – forget that one, actually."

"Diversion, for sure," Tadashi assured. "Fred, you ready to put those flame-throwers to use?"

"Just say the word and his goose is cooked."

"Honey Lemon, are you ready with those ice bombs?"

"You bet." She sounded far more confident in his decision now.

He looked to Gogo. "Do I even have to ask?" She popped her gum once before shutting her vizor and racing off.

Finally, he turned to Baymax. "Ready, Baymax?" He climbed aboard and activated his wings. They shot forth, an action that clearly startled the masked man. His recovery time was short, though, as he sent a burst of Microbots in their direction.

Dodge left. Loop back. Activate magnets and sever the Microbots' connection to the kabuki mask! Watch out for Fred!

* * *

><p>When Hiro received that text from Honey, he was livid. He sprinted downstairs and into the garage, wanting to make absolutely certain that his brother was gone. He nearly screamed when he got his answer.<p>

That stupid, selfish idiot! That reckless moron! This was their fight! They were in this ordeal together!

Hiro forgave him for avoiding him. Hiro forgave him for telling their friends about the arsonist. Hiro forgave his uncertainty. Hiro could not forgive him for trying to erase his role in this battle.

It was not like they were any more prepared than Hiro was.

The timing could not be more inopportune, even though he had not expected them to have all the time in the world to prepare before this maniac executed whatever sadistic plans he had up his sleeve.

He donned his suit, a piece he had kept as private as possible while building. The color of midnight with total dominion over the M-bots.

Hiro did not even need to test it. He knew how he had built it, and he knew it was going to work.

The M-bots activated with the flick of a wrist, flying to Hiro, lifting him from the concrete, moving him forth, hissing and snarling as though the emphasize their master's rage. His anguish. Because he wasn't there to protect Tadashi. Because Tadashi didn't have faith in his power.

Why? Why? _**Why**_?

Why trust them and not him?

Hiro was born just for him! Born for the young man who guarded him and adored him long before he took that first breath of life! Born to love him and be loved in return! Born to protect him and be protected in return! They were the inseparable Hamada geniuses. They were meant for each other. They belonged to each other.

Hiro halted his advance when he came across the familiar sight of the docks, and the frightening sight of a fight going downhill rapidly. It was like his blood turned to lead, stopping his heart, his breath, stripping away his very life force.

_**Where are you, Tadashi**_?

The entire ground had been iced over, rendering Gogo's gear useless, and sent her crashing into Honey, who's chemical bomb slipped from her grasp and encompassed them both in a thick fog.

_**Please, don't let it be poisonous, Honey**_.

Wasabi dangled helpless by his legs, swiping at the Microbots that encased them (all the while trying not to slice his own legs off) before he was thrown like a rag doll into the artificial fog.

All that was left was Fred and -

_**Tadashi**_...

He was going in for a direct attack, Hiro realized. All or nothing. If that stream of Microbots hit him, Fred would surely be nothing. Before he even had a chance to help, before he had regained enough of his composure to offer his complete protection, his world was shattered. For his older brother, appearing from quite literally nowhere, leaped from Baymax and shoved Fred out of the way, taking the hit himself.

_**Tadashi, NO**_!

An impact of such brute force that it sent the young man crashing straight through a container before leaving a shallow crater in the ground, where he laid unmoving.

The Microbots withdrew.

_**Tadashi**_?

Tadashi's friends called to him, speeding to his aid. Baymax reached his creator first, assessing the severity of his injuries.

_**Please wake up**_.

He had been the only one that Hiro had installed an emergency communications device on, and Hiro knew it wasn't damaged. He had to endure the sound of his brother's labored breaths before they quieted altogether.

… _**How could he have been so foolish**_?

_Gogo was so incredible! Her effortless command of such impossible speeds never ceased to amaze him_.

_**How could he have put Tadashi's life in anyone's hands but his own**_?

_Fred's adaptability was certainly new to him. Of everyone there, he acclimatized the fastest to his gear_.

_**So called 'friends' who did nothing but come between him and Tadashi**_?

_Whoa! Wasabi was a like a master swordsman! Reflexes that rivaled even Gogo's, and precision far deadlier than his lasers_.

_**Who only got in the way**_...

_Honey's eyes lit up once she beheld her suit and her chemical purse, and she'd begun experimenting without any reluctance. Creating explosives that she would chuck from the edge of the docks and into the bay, watching the water erupt in a colorful display afterward_.

_**They let him get hurt**_.

_They were going to be superheroes_!

_**They let that monster hurt him**_.

"_I can help you, Hiro. I don't know how exactly, but I know I can."_

_**Liar**_.

And Hiro saw red.

* * *

><p><em>Wham! I hope you guys got your freakin' minds blown! I feel like you guys already knew this was coming (and I kind of feel the first chapter is gonna ruin the suspense for this... Or will it?! XD) But yeah, tell me what you guys think! Hiro's about to go off the deep end for a while. I wonder if he'll get back on the sanity train? Who knows, huh? See you next time!<em>


	4. Monster

_Wow! Remember when I said this was going to be a one-shot? Yeah! Now it's gonna have to end at chapter 5! Well, I did say that 5 would be the longest this fic ran for, but I was so hoping to finish it before I had to go back to school! *sighs* I'm hoping the conclusion (the real one) will be done in a matter of days (a week at most, hopefully), but I did feel this chapter a necessary prelude to the finale. Especially with respect to Hiro's decline. I've been having him restrain himself quite a bit, but I think I've finally been able to capture the emerging yandere aspect._

_Just to be clear, Hiro has now breached the point of insanity, meaning that he will be holding back very little. Only when it comes to Tadashi is he a little calm, but - overall - Hiro is no longer in the mood for games. So, I hope you enjoy this! I've put a lot of time and effort into it just for you guys! Rock on and thanks for reading!_

* * *

><p><span><strong>IV. Monster<strong>

* * *

><p>"How dare you hurt him..." He recognized that voice. Even when it was distorted with demonic rage, it was a voice he couldn't forget. The voice of the genius who had made his revenge possible.<p>

"Don't you know, Professor?" Excited and childish. Wanting to advance the world. Wanting to study alongside his brother. Wanting the grand honor of studying at _**SFIT**_.

"Tadashi is **mine**." How could it have become so twisted and deranged just like that?

Like this child was a monster...

* * *

><p>They shot forth like bats out of hell, a howling darkness that tore into the man's pedestal, starving to shred him to pieces in its gaping maw and devour him. Microbots torn asunder hailed from the black skies, like ashes.<p>

"What's happening?" If Gogo was nervous, that did not bode well. "What's going on?"

"Dios mío," Honey murmured. This was Hiro's doing. Only he could coordinate such a vicious attack, could reign destruction so effortlessly.

"What are those things?" Wasabi's statement prompted her to pelt her chemical bombs at the hissing river of black, concealing both M-bots and Microbots alike in explosions of various hues. "What are you doing?"

"We've got to get away!" she barked. Before they could recognize Hiro! "Be -" The look in Fred's eyes made her mouth run dry. He already knew. Honey pursed her lips and looked up at the smoky rainbow she had created.

"Protect Tadashi." Then she ascended, the stairs she created disappearing as her weight left them. She ignored the calls that what she was doing would surely get her killed, and raced blindly into the battle between the two demons.

"Hiro!" she bellowed. In this tango of shrieks and smoke, he undoubtedly could not hear her, or was possibly ignoring her. Honey, however, could not ignore the bay of pain too deep to be Hiro's, nor the rain of sticky red that splashed across her helmet. "Hiro, no!" She had to find him! She had to find him before he killed the man!

"Please, Hiro!" Their movements were randomizing now, making it harder to guess where they were, making it harder to dodge, but she persevered. "Listen to me!" The frenzied urge to kill that filled the boy had leaked into the drones beneath his sovereign. "This isn't what Tadashi – AH!" One knocked into her helmet, and her consciousness wavered from the impact, but she didn't allow herself to falter.

**_Tadashi would not want this_**!

She nearly missed him how seamlessly he bled into the darkness. Only the tiny flashes of red on the transmitter on his helmet alerted her of his presence. Honey seized him, screaming at him to calm down, but he didn't even flinch. It was as though she was no more than a specter to him. Behind his dark-tinted vizor, she could not see those warm, brown eyes. She wanted to see them, wanted to know that there was a spec of humanity left within him.

Honey wished she had left it shut.

Those eyes were bloodshot and ferocious and glazed over (like he wasn't really there), teeth bared and lips curled in psychotic glee. Like he could not wait to see the M-bots carve into the man's flesh.

She could not bear to see him like this, but she could not bring herself to regret her actions. "Hiro" - her voice was quiet as a zephyr as she stroked his cheek - "come back." Then she pressed her lips unto his.

* * *

><p>There was a light but noticeable pressure upon his lips. It was just so foreign. Not at all like his brother's slim lips, but far fuller, far softer. It calmed him briefly, freed him from the madness that ensnared him, like slimy tendrils slithering along his body, corrupting even the tiniest part of him that was willing to spare this man because that was what Tadashi would have wanted.<p>

His dark eyes opened, and stared into terrified green ones that slowly moved away from him. The pressure left with them.

It was like a dream. Hiro couldn't exactly remember what he had been doing. His world became Honey's voice willing him to calm down, and the lingering stench of blood and smoke.

Then his mantra flared within him once more. A carnal need. _**Kill him**_. _**Kill him**_. _**Kill him, NOW**_.

"Move."

"Hiro -"

"- MOVE." He tried to shove her aside, but she would not budge. His voice rose. "He'll get away, Honey! Move!"

"This isn't what we planned, Hiro!"

"This isn't what _you _planned. This isn't what Tadashi planned." His mocking bark of laughter made the young woman flinch. "And look where that got him... You promised me, Honey." He ripped the helmet off her head and seized her throat. "You said you wouldn't let him get hurt."

"H-Hiro," she choked out. "Please s-stop – Ah!"

"I should have never trusted you." His grip tightened. One as unrelenting and cold as the hatred that stirred within him for that thief. "I should have never trusted any of you. You let my Tadashi get hurt!" Then he flung her aside, let her fall, and he advanced, scanning the vicinity for the man, for any sign of him.

The roar of a beast thundered across the skies.

The M-bots flocked to their master before spiraling forth in every direction, lodging in shipping containers, striking the cold concrete far below, shrieking as they clashed into one another. Then they swarmed him once more, a tornado of chaos at his feet that launched him to the ground.

The concrete shattered in his wake. Dark eyes ablaze with determination to tear apart the traitors who had let his brother get hurt. He'd been so set on their demise, but stumbled at Baymax's quiet call of his name. It was not enough to snap his murderous resolve, but it did make him redirect it towards the one who truly deserved it. While these people were treacherous, Tadashi loved them.

How could he even think to take away what his brother loved?

Hiro shook his head and slowly processed the scene before him. Baymax's strong arms secured a slightly disoriented Honey, and Wasabi and Gogo stood on either side of them. Nothing of interest there. Then he glanced at Fred, and rushed to his side immediately.

"Tadashi! Tadashi!" he called, not quite pushing the other out of the way, but making it extremely clear that he was invading on Hiro's territory. He shook his shoulders gently, but didn't move him too much otherwise. He was not dead, of that Hiro was sure. He had taken extra precaution to properly reinforce his suit, and even the suits of Tadashi's friends (among other procedures, of course). Still, that did not mean he could not have somehow sustained injury. A concussion? Internal bleeding?

"Baymax!" His voice cracked, tears coming to his eyes. "Tadashi -"

"- is fine," Fred assured, trying to place a comforting hand on Hiro's shoulder, only to be rebuffed.

"Tadashi is fine," Baymax echoed. "He has sustained no mortal wounds. Bed rest is recommended for a speedy recovery." He could not stop the sob – a broken sound of relief – that escaped him.

"What's going on?" Gogo snapped, stalking towards the boy. Hiro narrowed his gaze in response.

"I think I just saved your life, that's what." That did not even momentarily stop her.

"Did you even know that you'd hurt Honey?" He didn't reply. "You... did." Her eyes flashed with anger.

"No, Gogo, he -"

"- you little -! How could you do that?"

"I knew you guys would just get in the way. I knew you would ruin everything!"

"Ruin what? Your little superhero charade? Do you think this is a game?"

"Of course not. But you guys are sure treating it like one. Just rushing out here to face him, like you had a clue."

"Tadashi was doing this to protect you," Wasabi interjected. "And what you just did was not what we signed up for."

"Correction. You" - he gestured at all of them - "should never have been involved to begin with."

"Oh! So a fourteen-year-old brat could defeat a super-villain alone!" It felt weird to hear Gogo use the phrase '_super-villain_'. "How would you have even -!"

"My M-bots were specifically designed to slice the vital points of all of the Microbots. I made them, remember? Super-villain or maniac or arsonist, call him what you want, he would have fallen to me regardless." He turned towards his brother, finding Baymax now cradling his unconscious form.

"Hiro, your emotional health has declined severely since your first encounter with the man in the mask. If you would please -"

"- later, Baymax. Let's just take Tadashi home."

Gogo seized his shoulder. "We're not done here."

"Yes," he remarked curtly as he wrenched free from her grasp, "we are."

"Hiro, when did you even make that suit?" Fred asked. "It's sick, but you never mentioned it before."

"It was my fail-safe."

"I'm guessing Tadashi doesn't know either, right?" Gogo gritted out.

"No, but I deserve to tell him on my terms, seeing that he's gone behind my back so many times."

"Hiro, Tadashi only wanted to protect you." Only Honey could evoke such immense guilt from him. His actions were completely warranted; she had betrayed his trust. Yet the tenderness in her voice made him feel so low for causing her any harm.

"I know. But look how things turned out when I let him have his way," he muttered to himself. Because Tadashi was scared. Because – in the end – Tadashi only wanted to keep his brother safe, and only wanted to give his beloved professor the peace he deserved. Because Tadashi himself deserved that peace.

He looked to Baymax once more and uttered the command, "Wings."

"Hiro -"

"- just don't! You've done enough. Baymax, fly." They had done enough interfering in his and Tadashi's business. Hiro might have been stupid before, but not enough so to allow the same mistake to occur twice.

It was not Tadashi's fault at all. His brother was just too blinded by concern for Hiro's (the stain that marred his perfect form) well-being to act rationally, to be decisive. That was OK. Hiro could do all the thinking and acting for now. This time, he would follow his own instincts to ensure that his plan was a success.

After all, this was what was best for Tadashi.

* * *

><p>They needed a place to recuperate. After nearly being eradicated by a lunatic, then having to face an enraged younger brother (Honey could not decide what had been scarier at this point), they definitely deserved a rest. However, no one had expected that Fred of all people would be living in luxury.<p>

"I thought you lived under a bridge." A bit overkill, but his habits concerning personal hygiene would support Gogo's assumption.

They rid themselves of their gear and settled in Fred's eccentrically decorated bedroom, where they were attended to by the butler, Heathcliff. A clean and solemn man who waited on Master Fredrick and his friends. He brought them tea and sandwiches, light foods to uphold them in the aftermath of that horrid battle.

"What are we going to do about this mess?" Wasabi asked, shaking his head before burying his face in his palms. "And Hiro and Tadashi! What about those two? He's... You saw him! He's completely insane!"

"You think he'll hurt -"

"Never." To Honey's surprise, Fred had beat her to his defense. Risen to his feet with his steel gaze bearing down upon them. "The only reason Hiro got like that was because Tadashi got hurt. And it's all my fault."

"Freddie, no -"

"- yes, Honey Lemon. It was. If I didn't rush in... It's not the point anymore, but it is what triggered him."

"That doesn't excuse his actions," Gogo snapped, swiping at her helmet, almost as if she wanted to take aim at the wall, but settled for placing it on her lap. "It doesn't excuse him at all."

"No, it doesn't," he agreed, walking over to Gogo and sitting cross-legged before her. "But I can still sort of understand. When I saw you guys get hurt... I just wanted so badly to take that guy out." He clenched his fists.

"... We're not quitting, Fred," Wasabi said as he walked towards the blond mascot, stooping and resting a hand on his shoulder. "They're our friends. Sure, things got a little rocky, but no one's gonna leave." Those words abated his shuddering.

Honey knelt beside him, placing both her hands upon his shoulders, her hand overlapping Wasabi's. "Don't let that weigh down on you, Freddie. It's no good for you. Remember, we're in this thing together. All of us."

Gogo did not join them on the floor, but did lean forward enough for her hand to brush Wasabi's and Honey's. "And we're gonna do this right this time. No one's gonna get hurt this time."

"Or left out." Fred let his hand join theirs. A cherry grin replaced the melancholy that marred him. Then he frowned once again, puzzling his friends.

"What's wrong, Freddie?"

"Stay here tonight." He paused, pursing his lips. Then, he added with (forced) enthusiasm, "It'll be fun! Like a sleepover!" It was an odd request, but one that could be respected. After witnessing each of their beloved friends nearly murdered before their very eyes, it was an understatement to say that they were shaken.

"... Well, I am pretty beat." Gogo was the first to acquiesce. Followed by Wasabi, and – finally – Honey.

It did not take long for sleep to take them, even in their condition. Tasty foods, hot showers, and borrowed clothes knocked them out like lights. Lulled to sleep by the soft, golden trails of sand the Sandman had sent out, just to give them a little reprieve from their current reality.

All except Honey, who sent discreet text after text to Hiro, inquiring about Tadashi's health. She waited until the sands of sleep claimed her as well, but no reply ever came to put her at true ease.

* * *

><p>Their aunt was asleep, so he bid Baymax to be as quiet as possible when they entered the lab. Sleep deprivation would be bad for Cass' health and would be counterproductive to his programming. So, Baymax obeyed, quietly watching Hiro remove their armor. He cocked his head to the side at the sniffles that came from the boy, scanning him, reading his biorhythm. All he needed to see was the tears rolling down Hiro's cheeks and the way he would grit his teeth whenever his blood pressure suddenly spiked to be able to diagnose him.<p>

"I see no indication of physical injury. However, you seem to be experiencing mood fluctuations, quite common in adolescents your age. Diagnosis: puberty."

"What?" came Hiro's squawk of disbelief. "Baymax, that's not it!" He sighed when Baymax continued explaining to him things he did not care to know at the moment. "Just help me move Tadashi upstairs," he interrupted. "And no more talks of puberty!"

"But these talks would be beneficial for you to flower into manhood." Hiro groaned. Really, Tadashi? 'Flower into manhood'? How cheesy could someone get?

"How about this. You help me get Tadashi into bed first, then we talk about me. Sound good?" Primary patient or not, it was like Baymax knew an unfortunately large portion of Tadashi's mental health depended on Hiro's. Still, the bot could not override his prior recommendation, and took Tadashi into his arms once more before tailing Hiro up the stairs and into their room.

The younger one tucked his brother into his bed, leaning down to kiss his lips gently. He stroked those dark, silky locks for a while after, just watching Tadashi's slumbering form (_the rise and fall of his chest with each breath, the fragile innocence in his features that was even more prominent, the utter divinity of the being he idolized so_) before retreating to his own bed, letting his legs dangle.

Then he turned to face Baymax, scrutinizing the robotic nurse for a bit before coming to his decision. Baymax spoke up when Hiro scooted closer to him, sounding almost accusing.

"You are going to interfere with my programming. Will you make me misdiagnose Tadashi again?"

"No, Baymax. Not this time. I just need some information. Do you still have that guy's data?"

"You mean the man in the mask? I am programmed to store all of my patient's data. What would you like it for?"

"Remember when I said that I wanted to get a name on the guy?"

"... Hiro, that would be illegal, and a breach of the code of confidentiality."

"I know, buddy." He gently patted the robot's arm. Guilt was not a feeling that he welcomed, not for anyone, save for Tadashi whenever he brought him unnecessary grief due to his foolish slip-ups. It wasn't that he wanted to obstruct Baymax's priorities. Not at all.

Hiro pushed forward gently, embracing the robot, who tentatively returned the gesture. "Hiro?"

"Yeah?"

"I have seen you perform this action with Tadashi and Cass many times, and even with myself sometimes, but I do not know what its purpose is."

"Oh." That dope of a brother didn't even explain to Baymax the simplest of comforting actions. "It's called a hug, Baymax. And people give each other hugs to express their... their feelings. Like love or happiness or excitement. Or to comfort them." Baymax took a moment to store the information in his healthcare database.

"I see." Baymax tightened the embrace. "I shall remember that." Hiro broke the hug and pulled Baymax over to his bed before sitting before the bot. "This won't take long, I promise."

"Then will you allow me to properly educate you on pubescent urges?"

"Sure," Hiro chuckled. "Whatever floats your boat."

"I do not have a boat."

"It's just an expression."

Masking his identity and remotely accessing the personal records of the thousands of citizens residing in San Fransokyo that the hospitals within the city kept electronically filed was child's play. The waiting game started once he began crosschecking those medical records to see who was the individual behind the mask.

The answer he finally received made him double check it, no matter how tedious it was. Then he triple checked it. His blood boiled at the mere sight of the name because how _**dare **_he...

Oh. Hiro was going to make sure he died this time.

Once he finished and disconnected Baymax, he heard the bot (the unchanging voice that could ground him as easily as Tadashi's could) inquire if he found the information he was looking for. Reluctant to share because he knew that Baymax would undoubtedly relay his findings to Tadashi in an attempt to improve the older one's mental health, he have him a negative answer.

"My sensors indicate that you are lying." Of course Tadashi doesn't tell him what a hug is, but Baymax is able to tell if he's being untruthful? Unbelievable.

"Yes, I lied."

"Hiro, this information is vital to improving Tadashi's health."

"Trust me, Baymax. It won't do him any good right now. B-Besides, aren't you supposed to be educating me on my 'pubescent urges'?" He chuckled at his words, how silly they sounded, but honestly hoped that they would prove a distraction enough for Baymax.

His eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment when Baymax waddled over to the computer and placed a hand atop the monitor.

"I have downloaded the most updated information concerning your needs. I think you will find it quite enlightening."

"I'm sure I will." Sarcastic as his reply had been, Hiro found himself genuinely fascinated by Baymax's lecture as it progressed. He found that he wasn't nearly as embarrassed as he thought he would have been by what should have been an awkward conversation. Instead, he found his body growing warm, and his voice calling for elaborations on vague descriptions, leading Baymax to become more explicit.

How Baymax explained the desires that he did not even know existed within him. How powerful they could be and normally began manifesting with people he felt close to. The want to touch and be touched. Made to feel the purest bliss. Acts that he would normally find atrocious he discovered to be most appealing at the mere thought of performing them on Tadashi. To see his eyes roll back, hear his pleading whines, feel his muscles tense as his body convulsed with the pleasure these acts promised to bring.

It calmed him, quieted his racing mind and the bitter enmity in his gut.

Baymax stopped upon sensing this change, observing Hiro's dazed expression for a bit before asking, "Would you prefer a demonstration? Experiential learning is quite beneficial for young minds."

"... Not right now, Baymax. I am satisfied with my care." Perhaps after this whole mess was over.

* * *

><p>Ugh... His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Like Baymax had smacked him upside the head again (accidentally, of course). Tadashi groaned as he sat up, stretching a bit before massaging his temples. What had he done last night?<p>

Bits and pieces were missing. Why did he take Baymax on that high-flying adventure? Did he actually get hit by that train? No. That couldn't happen. He could barely say, "Ow," without Baymax coming to his rescue. Still, he was having a difficult time recalling just what he had done last night. Not to mention the questions circulating when he had gotten out of his suit and crawled into bed.

"Awake?" Tadashi tensed. That clipped note was not a good sign. "Feeling better?"

"Hey, Knucklehead." He angled his body to face the smaller one, letting his feet brush the cold floorboards. "What time is it?"

"Twelve."

"I-In the afternoon?" Whatever he had done last night, he clearly hadn't taken into consideration his classes! "Hiro! Why didn't you wake me? Aw man! I've already missed my first class."

"Tough luck."

Dark brows knitted in confusion. "Hiro, wha -?" Then he remembered. Classes would not resume until Wednesday. Some freak chemical spill in one of the labs Saturday night had gotten the place closed for a bit.

"That's what happens when you sneak out to fight super-villains at night. You -!" Tadashi flinched only at the defeated sigh that was dragged from Hiro's lungs.

'_Hiro_?'

"You might not make it to class the next day. You might not even make it home." The little one's voice broke, and with it, Tadashi felt his heart do the same. Because the blanks in his memories were filled in that moment. His reasoning, his meeting with his friends, the battle they were losing because of his own selfishness, and his final act of protecting Fred before he knew no more.

But Hiro knew, something he hoped would never have happened. He was supposed to finish this. Let Hiro be miffed at him for as long as he needed before they went on with their lives. Madman incarcerated, friends all alive and happily working on their projects, and his baby brother at his side. The perfect, happily ever after. The only one that could be born from those scorching ashes.

"I'm sorry." How many times had he apologized to his baby brother this past week? More than he had in years, that was certain. Tadashi opened his arms, and it took barely a minute before Hiro was flushed against him, the force with which he had abruptly flung himself knocking Tadashi onto his back.

Those little fists pounded against his chest, hurt cries of, "How could you?" and "I hate you!" blubbering past thin lips. It brought tears to his own eyes how broken down his baby boy was. So he let him cry, and hugged him fiercely, whispering sweet nothings until those tears subsided. Until all that was left was a sniffling mess in dire need of cuddles, which big brother was more than happy to supply.

"They're OK." Hiro's voice was muffled against his clothing, but he heard the answer to his unasked question, and it gave him such a relief. Hiro fished out his cellphone and allowed Tadashi to read through some texts that Honey Lemon had sent to him. They ranged from inquiring about Tadashi's condition to how Hiro was holding up.

"I'm glad. How did they get away? I mean, he was so -"

"- my M-bots saved you." A beat. Then an eruption.

"What? You were there?" he shouted, clutching the squirming boy tighter. He was not getting away. "Hiro! Do you know what kind of danger you put yourself in?" he hissed.

"Did you?" he snarled right back. "What were you thinking?" He was getting worked up again. "We had a plan!" Tears formed in those big eyes once more. "But you just...! Stop treating me like a child! Like I'm a hindrance! That monster stole my tech when he set that place on fire! You were about to run in! If I didn't stop you -!" Hiro hunched forward, eyes feral and hands trembling. Tadashi dared not to speak, dared not even to touch the boy. He did not even want to hear the end of that statement, but he knew what would come.

If he had run in there, Tadashi surely would have died, and Hiro would have been left behind. A life without his best friend. The circumstances last night were no different than that night so many months ago.

No wonder Hiro was so wrecked.

"I just wanted to protect you," he finally found the courage to whisper, gingerly touching the young one's shoulder. He had to resist the urge to pull away when those wild eyes were set upon him. Instead of lashing out, Hiro did something even more terrifying; he smiled. So warm and true that it candidly frightened Tadashi.

"I know. I understand. But we have to work together to bring this guy down, OK? Rule Twenty-eight: Hamada bros always have each other's backs."

It baffled the older one that he actually accepted that overused if truthful response, but only briefly, as he returned Hiro's smile with a bright one of his own.

"Yeah. Let's make him pay for stealing the great Hiro Hamada's property!" Tadashi finally chimed in, poking the boy in the ribs and making him giggle. "And for what he did to Callaghan," he added somberly. Hiro's jaw clenched at the name, but nodded stiffly along, but Tadashi knew what he was thinking. It was the same for him as well.

Avenge the tragic loss.

"We'll fight together this time," Tadashi said, clasping his brother's shoulder.

When Tadashi saw the way his brother's eyes lit up with utmost joy at his firm statement, Tadashi felt like the biggest failure in the world.

* * *

><p>Keeping Tadashi happy while simultaneously keeping close watch over his brother was Hiro's intention. There would be no secrets nor exclusions anymore! There was a little discomfort on Tadashi's end when Hiro demanded that they showered together, but he let his little brother have his way. As he always did.<p>

It wasn't strange to look at his brother. Not to him anyway. Letting the steamy waters cleanse and soothe their aching muscles. Watching hazily as his brother tossed his head back and let out an appreciative groan at the sensation. Oh... It must have felt so good after taking such a beating. To let those hot beads roll along the length of his toned body, ripple along those strong muscles.

_**So tempting**_...

Hiro reached for his back, trailing his fingers along his spine, eliciting a shudder from the older one.

"Hiro?"

"I wash your back, you wash mine?"

"Honestly," he chuckled. "So spoiled."

Hiro took his sweet time exploring the expanse of wet, creamy flesh, resisting the impulse to nip at it, see for himself if it tasted as enticing as it looked.

Tadashi would snort whenever Hiro brushed a particularly sensitive spot, and Hiro would make sure to pay extra attention to those areas. It did not take long for Tadashi to conclude that Hiro was teasing him before launching into a tickle attack of epic proportions.

"S-Stop, Tadashi!"

"Not until you cry, 'Auntie'!"

"Auntie!" he repeated as best he could as he heaved with hysterical laughter. "Auntie!"

From the bottom floor, Cass heard them, and raced up just in time to see them fall out of the shower, taking the curtain down with them as they flailed on the slippery tiles below. Their names died on her lips as she herself became affected by the endless giggles and squeals that came from her two squirming, little worms wrapped up in the shower curtain.

"Get out of there!" she finally snorted out, leaning against the door frame and laughing as the scampered to right themselves, blushing that they had been caught in the nude. "And fix this mess up! Or... Or no more gummy bears!" Her words gave Hiro a real scare, as he immediately squeaked that they would rectify things right away.

Cass simply rolled her eyes, a small smirk on her lips. Then she descended the staircase, muttering something about having crazy, loveable dorks for nephews.

The two brothers grinned sheepishly at each other before cleaning up their little mess and finishing their shower.

That did not mark the end of Hiro's hovering, though. He followed Tadashi everywhere. Tailed after him like a lost pup.

When Tadashi offered to help out in the cafe, Hiro was second-in-line to volunteer. For someone who had such trouble connecting with kids his own age, he possessed a natural charm among the cafe's many patrons. Tadashi could not help but chuckle when Hiro directed some of that flirtation at him and even their aunt. The people really enjoyed the short waltz between the young gentleman and the lovely lady. So much that their show scored them some hefty tips.

When Tadashi went to their lab to fix his gear, Hiro was right behind him, tending to the few M-bots that received major damage last night. Hiro had wanted to put more reinforcements in Tadashi's design, but the older male had politely refused.

"This is plenty of fine, Hiro."

"Not from what I saw."

"I'm OK, aren't I?"

When Tadashi went upstairs to check on Baymax, Hiro skipped right up behind him. Then laughed until he fell flat on his back when Baymax's first act upon activation was to promptly envelop Tadashi in a warm hug.

"B-Baymax!" he sputtered as he struggled against the robots unyielding hold. He sent glares at the laughing boy over his shoulder, growling as he yelled at him for messing with Baymax's source code again. To his surprise, Baymax let him go, and simply looked at him.

"I am sorry, Tadashi. Hiro informed me that 'hugs' are used to express happiness and excitement, or simply used as a comforting gesture." Then, the bot spread his arms once more, this time waiting for Tadashi's reciprocation. "I am glad to see that you are alright." Tadashi walked in to the hug without a second thought.

"Aw. Thanks, buddy."

Once things had settled down, Hiro sat beside his brother, waiting for Baymax to do as Tadashi commanded and bring up the Microbot's data. Still close to the city, closer than he had been staying previously.

"Well, it doesn't look like he's doing anything. That's weird. I thought for sure he would..." Act faster considering that there were now people to get in the way?

Oh, Tadashi! Silly brother! He needed some time to recover from nearly losing his arm. Hiro would make sure that it was cut clean off this time.

"There's no time to waste, Tadashi. We've got to get this guy now," Hiro pressed. "It'll be dangerous for a lot more people if he comes back to the city." Tadashi gave him a smile and an approving nod, and Hiro felt his heart flutter.

Tadashi was cooperating, willingly listening to him. Finally acknowledging that Hiro was the only one he needed. In both this fight and in his life.

And it made the boy feel so good.

"Let's go finish this, then." Hiro stopped when Tadashi grabbed his wrist, nervously drumming against the boy's wristwatch.

"A-Actually, could you get me something to drink first? I'm kind of thirsty." If Hiro wasn't so giddy at the moment, he would have found his request a bit strange. But the boy simply agreed and hopped down the stairs and went into the kitchen.

When Tadashi's hushed voice filled the room, Hiro jumped and spilled the drinks he had prepared. "Great," he muttered in annoyance, but left it for the meantime. Hiro looked around, but there was no sign of his brother anywhere. Then he realized that his voice was coming from the watch.

How long has it been since he actually used this?

The bedroom cam he had installed on Tadashi's end gave him a perfect view of his brother and Baymax. Only when the little traitors popped up on Baymax's screen did Hiro know exactly what was going to happen.

_**It was getting hot**_.

They spoke hastily, Tadashi glancing at the door every now and then before relating the man's whereabouts (Akuma Island, the deserted land just off the coast) and why they needed to act quickly. Because Baymax had been secretly scanning Hiro, as per Tadashi's request, and explained how the man in the mask was detrimental to Hiro's health as he could not even hear of him without his blood pressure skyrocketing.

Then, cautiously, the traitors added their own two cents.

"Tadashi, how Hiro was last night... I've never seen him like that." Wasabi sounded so tentative.

"He went completely ballistic," Gogo snapped. "I think whatever this guy's doing -"

"- he's doing it to hurt Hiro," Fred finished.

By the look on Tadashi's face, Hiro knew he couldn't take what they were saying.

_**So hot**_.

"I can control the M-bots. I know Hiro might hate me, but I can't let him get like this because of that... monster. I understand if you guys don't -"

"- 'don't' nothing," Gogo cut in. "We're a team."

"We're helping whether you want us to or not." Such firm resolution from the traitors.

"Guys..."

"Besides, when is the next time any of us are getting to fight a super-villain! Don't take away our chance!"

_**Why, Tadashi**_?

"... If it helps Hiro, I'm in," Honey spoke at last, her voice soft and hesitant.

"Hiro's safety directly affects your health, Tadashi. My primary concern is that no harm comes to either of you."

_**Traitors, all of them**_.

Wild eyes flickered from the cupboards to the cabinets as he pried each and every one of them open. Tadashi didn't want to listen to him? Didn't want to include him? Fine. There were other ways of taming foolish, older brothers.

A little rat poison in his drink ought to keep him grounded.

Hiro poured more soda into his glass, taking a swig before fetching a plastic spoon and the poison from the cupboard beneath the sink. Just as he went to add the extra ingredient, his hand stilled and his pupils dilated.

_**What am I doing**_?

The spoon dropped to the floor, dissolving bits of the powdery poison into the mess he had already made. And Hiro hurried to clean it up, wiping until not a drop was left and discarding the evidence.

Drinks forgotten, Hiro backed away, nearly tripping over Mochi and earning himself a nasty hiss from the cat, before racing to their room and flinging himself into his brother's arms.

"Hiro? What's wrong?"

"I-I'm sorry," he managed to gasp out right before his voice failed him.

No matter how fearful and worried his brother's voice became, Hiro would not budge. He would not answer his pleas (_"Hiro! Hiro! What's wrong? Hiro!"_), nor react as Tadashi violently shook his shoulders (_"Snap out of it!"_), nor succumb to his wretched tears (_"Baby brother. Please. Please tell Dashi what's wrong."_)

Only when the fact that he had almost poisoned his beloved brother really sunk in did he gag into his hand, letting the tears fall free.

What was he becoming...?

Through blurry eyes, he gazed upon his brother, and tasted the sorrow upon his cheeks. A sorrow he had caused. He placed chaste kisses against the soft skin, sighing gently when Tadashi returned the sentiment.

Then he pressed his lips against his brother's and watched as those honey-colored eyes widened at the heated passion behind what should have been a sweet, innocent smooch.

* * *

><p><em>Bam! Fun fact about that poisoning bit. It was supposed to be in chapter 2, but I thought it would make Hiro seem too crazy, so I cut it from the plot entirely. So glad I was actually able to use it!<em>

_"Diagnosis: puberty." OK, don't lie, who else enjoyed that bit in the movie as much as I did? I just had to include it, for good reason! I swear it's not random! At first I was like, will they get what I'm doing? Then I was like, they will!_

_Just in case you didn't, remember the line where Tadashi had _Baymax_ secretly scan Hiro to check up on him and see how he's been since the masked man came into the picture? Well, _Baymax_ has been a good boy and did his job a little too well. He actually took it upon himself to explain to Hiro what his feelings toward Tadashi really are. (Slight parallel there too. Hiro's transitioning from relatively innocent to his _yandere_ self, and his feelings for Tadashi are changing from brotherly to sexual.)_

_Again, thank you all for taking the time to read my _fic_! See you next time!_


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